Two British ministers have revealed that they have been targeted by hoax calls linked to the conflict in Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace blamed Russia’s “dirty tricks” after it was revealed that a fraudster called him on Thursday claiming to be Ukraine’s prime minister.
Wallace added that he suspected the matter and ended the call after the “scammer” asked suspicious questions.
Then Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted that she received a similar call earlier this week.
The Defense Department said Wallace has now ordered an immediate investigation into how the fraudster managed to contact him.
A Defense Department source said the investigation was looking into “how this could have happened,” but did not give details of what Wallace might have told the scam caller or who made the call.
In his message revealing the call on Twitter, Wallace wrote: “No amount of Russian disinformation, distortion and dirty tricks can distract from Russian human rights abuses and the illegal invasion of Ukraine. It’s a desperate attempt.”
Responding shortly thereafter, Patel said: “This also happened to me earlier this week. A pathetic attempt in such difficult times to divide us. We stand by Ukraine.”
The BBC has learned that the call with Wallace was a video call in which an actor in front of the Ukrainian flag posed a series of “wild questions”.
Defense sources say they are concerned that there may be an attempt to distort or modify Wallace’s answers before the call ends.