'Russian dirty tricks': Two Cabinet ministers targeted by hoax calls linked to Ukraine invasion
The defence and home secretaries have revealed they have been targeted with hoax calls linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he has ordered an inquiry after being tricked into taking a phone call from an impostor posing as the Ukrainian prime minister.
The Cabinet minister, who has been in Warsaw, Poland, leading the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a defensive perspective, said in a tweet that he put the phone down after being asked "several misleading questions".
Priti Patel revealed she had also been targeted. The home secretary retweeted Mr Wallace, writing: "This also happened to me earlier this week. Pathetic attempt at such difficult times to divide us. We stand with Ukraine."
The defence secretary ordered an immediate inquiry into how the impostor was able to speak to him on the telephone, a Ministry of Defence source said.
On receiving the call, Mr Wallace tweeted: “Today an attempt was made by an imposter claiming to be Ukrainian PM to speak with me.
"He posed several misleading questions and after becoming suspicious I terminated the call.
“No amount of Russian disinformation, distortion and dirty tricks can distract from Russia’s human rights abuses and illegal invasion of Ukraine. A desperate attempt.”
The defence secretary earlier announced the UK would be sending a Sky Sabre missile defence system and around 100 personnel to Poland.
He said: “It is, as ever, a purely defensive capability which we are providing on a bilateral basis to Poland.
“It will remain under UK control at all times.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the deployment would be “supporting the Polish armed forces at the request of the Polish government”.
Mr Wallace also said the UK and other Western nations are still sending weapons to Ukrainian forces.
On Wednesday, he told reporters at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels: “We are continuing to deliver weapons into Ukraine from many different directions and it is getting to the front line.”