Denys Kireyev
Denys Kireyev | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 January 1977 Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Died | 5 March 2022 (aged 45) |
| Occupation(s) | Intelligence operative, banking professional |
| Years active | 2010–2022 |
| Known for | Intelligence contributions during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; banking career including First Deputy Chairman of Oschadbank |
Denys Kireyev (; born 1 January 1977 – died 5 March 2022) was a Ukrainian intelligence operative and banking professional.
On 23 February 2022, Kireyev supplied vital information indicating that Antonov Airport would serve as a primary objective during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. This intelligence enabled Ukrainian forces to thwart the initial attack and disable the airport, preventing its use by Russian troops. Following the invasion's commencement on 24 February, he took part in the peace discussions held on 28 February in Gomel, Belarus. A week later, Kireyev was killed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). He had been scheduled to engage in subsequent negotiation rounds in Belarus on 3 March.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR), stated that without Kireyev’s intelligence contributions, the fall of Kyiv would have been highly probable.
Banking career
Between 2010 and 2014, Kireyev occupied the role of First Deputy Chairman of the Board at Oschadbank and previously served on the supervisory board of Ukreximbank. His career also included positions at prominent international financial institutions such as Citibank, Credit Lyonnais, ING Group, and Rabobank.
Death
Kireyev passed away on 5 March 2022. Early media reports from both Russian and Ukrainian sources accused him of espionage for Russia and claimed that the SBU executed him on charges of treason, citing intercepted telephone calls as evidence. Nevertheless, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence Directorate of Intelligence acknowledged his death but affirmed that he was a Ukrainian intelligence agent who died during a "special operation."
On 18 January 2023, GUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov disclosed that Kireyev had alerted Ukrainian intelligence on 23 February to an imminent Russian offensive. Since September 2021, Kireyev had been engaged in intelligence gathering amid escalating tensions, covertly entering Russia to collect information about military strategies. His comprehensive reports on the planned assault on Antonov Airport enabled Ukrainian defenders to organize crucial resistance that played a significant role in safeguarding Kyiv during the early days of the invasion. Budanov highlighted that Kyiv might have been seized without Kireyev’s efforts.
In January 2023, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Zelenskyy, characterized Kireyev’s death as a tragic error likely resulting from inadequate coordination between the GUR and SBU.