Yes—Ukraine’s spymaster says he does work with sex-workers.
But the headline “Prostitutes against Putin” is only half the story.
A spy chief’s off-hand admission that shocked tabloids
When Germany’s Bild splashed the teaser “Ukraine setzt Prostituierte gegen Putin ein” (Ukraine deploys prostitutes against Putin), it sounded like a script from a Cold-War thriller.
The click-bait worked—but what’s true, what’s guess-work, and what’s still in the shadows?
Our deep dive into the original interview, legal records, and open-source intelligence reveals a story that is gripping, messy, and—yes—still partly classified.
The verified core: Budanov’s own words
On 5 August 2025, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR/GUR), gave an on-record interview to several Ukrainian outlets. In it he plainly admitted:
“We cooperate with sex workers and escort models. People tell them things we could never learn otherwise.”
—Hromadske
That sentence alone confirms Statement 1 in Bild: the Ukrainian intelligence service does tap information from prostitutes. No anonymous leak, no rumour—the boss said it himself.
Where the headline stretches reality
Bild added a dramatic twist: “against Putin’s henchmen.”
Here’s what our fact-check uncovered:
- Budanov talked generally about men who like to flaunt power—he never singled out Russian officials.
- Open-source reports suggest some HUR assets operate inside Russia, so the leap is plausible.
- But no public document or statement explicitly says sex-worker operations specifically target Russian troops or Kremlin insiders.
Result: partly supported, partly unsubstantiated. The spy novel scenario might be real—just not proven.
The legal and moral minefield
Ukraine officially deems prostitution an administrative offence and pimping a crime. How can a state agency partner with an illegal trade?
- Intelligence work often exploits legal grey zones.
- Kyiv’s parliament has debated decriminalisation, partly to cut police corruption.
- Even so, HUR’s cooperation sits uncomfortably with Ukraine’s own laws—something Budanov did not address.
For comparison: the CIA and MI6 have long employed “honey-trap” tactics, despite solicitation bans at home.
Disinformation echo chamber
Russian-language Telegram channels seized on the topic, pushing a fabricated video that claimed Ukraine’s SBU blackmails local men with escort stings. Ukrainian fact-checkers debunked the clip as a fake. (Ukrinform)
Lesson: real admissions like Budanov’s create fertile ground for propaganda spin.
What we still don’t know
- Target set: Are these operations aimed mostly at Russian officers, corrupt officials, or anyone loose-lipped with cash?
- Scale: A handful of informants or a structured program?
- Safeguards: Are the sex workers volunteers, paid informers, or coerced assets?
Neither HUR nor Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has published clarifications.
How we verified
- Located Budanov’s full 40-minute interview in Ukrainian.
- Cross-checked quotes with independent translations.
- Searched open databases (Ukrainemonitor, BigNewsNetwork) for corroborating details.
- Reviewed Ukrainian law on prostitution and recent parliamentary debates.
- Tracked Russian disinformation claims and corresponding debunks.
Every link in this article leads to an open source so you can replicate the search.
Takeaway
• Confirmed: Ukraine’s military intelligence has cooperated with sex workers.
• Plausible but unproven: Those operations target “Putin’s henchmen.”
• Unknown: Scope, legality work-arounds, and ethical safeguards.
Spy stories thrive on secrets—this one is no exception. We now know just enough to sense the intrigue, but not enough to close the file.
Until the next leak, keep your salt-shaker handy—and remember that, in espionage, the truth often wears as many disguises as the agents themselves.