In a statement issued by the SVR’s press service on Monday, Naryshkin suggested that the US and the UK are trying to convince other G7 states to establish the post in order to “strengthen the mechanisms of direct external control of the territory controlled by the Kiev regime”.

“It is expected that [the ‘special envoy’] will have constant access to President Zelensky and know about all his plans,” the SVR’s statement read. The person will also have the ability to “block the steps of the Ukrainian leadership that are not coordinated with Washington and London, proposing instead the correct solutions, from the point of view of the Anglo-Saxons,” it added.

Naryshkin described the reported plan as a “crude attempt by the West to increase the enslavement of the Ukrainian people [which] cannot but cause concern”. However, he claimed it is unlikely that the “governor” would be able to help Washington and London achieve their aims, as he would be “unable to stay afloat for long in the Kiev swamp of mutual hatred, intrigue, deception, flattery, and betrayal”.

Regarding potential candidates for the new role, Naryshkin suggested that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is among the main contenders, as well as other “Russophobic politicians”.

According to the SVR chief, the idea to create the new position comes as the West realizes that Ukrainians are becoming increasingly disillusioned with their chances of victory against Russia on the battlefield. The US and the UK therefore fear betrayal by the elites in Kiev, who may try to switch sides.

Such fears are completely justified, Naryshkin said, claiming that “the first ones have already left”.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s position on the battlefield has continued to deteriorate as its forces lack ammunition and struggle with personnel shortages and low morale. Citing unnamed US officials, the New York Times reported last week that Kiev’s troops could soon be forced to abandon their frontline positions unless they receive more aid from the West.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk donated some 20,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its offensive against the country in February 2022. Ukrainian troops are using them to operate drones along the front line. However, the billionaire said last year that he had refused Ukraine’s request to activate the Starlink service in Crimea.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Peskov noted that Starlink had never been certified in Russia, meaning that it “cannot be and is not being delivered here officially”. He added that, for this reason, the technology cannot be used in any official capacity in Russia.

The Kremlin’s representative concluded by saying that there was no point in Moscow getting involved in a “discussion between the Kiev regime and entrepreneur Musk”.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Musk lamented that “a number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia”.

“To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia,” the SpaceX CEO added.

In a separate statement on Thursday, SpaceX insisted that it “does not do business of any kind with the Russian government or its military,” and has “never sold or marketed Starlink in Russia, nor has it shipped equipment to locations in Russia”.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) claimed to have intercepted a conversation between Russian military personnel, where one service member could be heard saying in Russian “Starlink is working, we have internet [access]”.

GUR spokesman Andrey Yusov alleged that Russian troops are “systematically” using Starlink terminals.

In September, Musk said his company had refused to enable Starlink coverage over Crimea.

“Now, the reason it was turned off was actually because… the United States has sanctions against Russia… and that includes Crimea,” he explained at the time. In the absence of any direct orders from the US leadership, SpaceX opted not to run afoul of the regulations despite Kiev’s request to do so, the entrepreneur noted.

Earlier, CNN reported that Musk’s decision had thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack against the Russian Black Sea Fleet.