At a Glance

• Ukraine strongly rejects Iraqi accusations of conducting illicit sabotage operations within Iraq.
• Kyiv condemns Baghdad for bypassing diplomatic channels and airing unsubstantiated claims on television.
• The Foreign Ministry urged Iraqi authorities to prevent state institutions from broadcasting harmful foreign disinformation.

Ukraine dismissed the Iraqi National Security Advisor’s “unfounded” claims that Ukrainian groups were suspected of carrying out sabotage operations inside Iraq, stressing that Kyiv views Baghdad as “an important partner” in the Middle East.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Allegations Denied: Ukraine dismissed Iraq's "interference" claims as "unsubstantiated."
• Diplomatic Breach: Kyiv criticized Baghdad for broadcasting accusations on live television.
• Disinformation Warning: Ukraine warned the claims align with "Russian propaganda narratives."
• Iraqi Claims: Baghdad maintains it arrested sabotage groups targeting domestic facilities.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday that it rejects the “unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations” by National Security Advisor Qasim al-Aboudi on Dijlah TV regarding the country's “involvement in unlawful activities” on Iraqi soil.

“There are no facts or evidence to support these allegations—a point the Iraqi official himself acknowledged in his interview,” the ministry stressed.

The ministry emphasized that Baghdad failed to convey any official concerns through established diplomatic channels prior to making its high-profile public accusations. Kyiv criticized the Iraqi government for airing the serious allegations directly on live television rather than utilizing logical and confidential state-to-state communication.

“We consider it unacceptable and irresponsible for a senior official of a friendly state to publicly disseminate such statements without a proper evidentiary basis,” the statement noted, adding that “this contradicts the principles of mutual respect and damages Ukrainian-Iraqi relations.”

The statement reiterated that Ukraine “remains firmly committed to advancing mutually beneficial political, economic, and humanitarian cooperation.”

“The statements voiced align with Russian propaganda narratives aimed at discrediting Ukraine and undermining its relations with Middle Eastern nations. It cannot be ruled out that this incident is the result of external information influence or part of a coordinated information and psychological operation designed to destabilize the Ukrainian-Iraqi partnership,” the ministry added.

The ministry urged Iraqi authorities to suppress these allegations and ensure state institutions are not exploited to broadcast harmful foreign disinformation.

For You: Through Our Lens

The diplomatic friction between Baghdad and Kyiv reflects an intersection of regional geopolitical dynamics, occurring amidst direct military confrontations involving the United States and Iran on one front, and Ukraine and Russia on another.

The Iraqi National Security Advisor informed Dijlah TV that intelligence services concluded “Ukrainian interference” occurred following an investigation into a series of facility attacks within the country.

“We arrested a limited number of groups that carried out attacks inside Iraqi territory and targeted several facilities,” he added.