The personal phone of Liz Truss, including private texts she exchanged with Kwasi Kwarteng, was hacked by spies believed to be working for President Vladimir Putin, according to Glen Owen and Dan Hodges of The Mail on Sunday.
It is thought that Russian agents gained access to top-secret information regarding negotiations with major international allies, as well as messages critical of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
According to sources, up to a year’s worth of mails were stolen, and the intrusion was not found until the Tory leadership contest this summer.
The personal phone of Liz Truss, containing private conversations she exchanged with Kwasi Kwarteng, was hacked by individuals believed to be working for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As Foreign Secretary, Ms. Truss’s phone reportedly became compromised.
Ms. Truss’s phone was purportedly infiltrated while she was Foreign Secretary, but Johnson and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case ordered a news blackout to conceal the truth.
A insider informed the newspaper that the phone had been kept in a safe at a sensitive government site since it was so severely hacked.
It is thought that the stolen texts contained highly sensitive discussions between senior international foreign ministers regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
These apparently included chats concerning arms shipments, with a source stating that it was “not a good look” for the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom to have her phone so readily infiltrated.
It is thought that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spies gained access to top-secret information on negotiations with major international allies.
The horrifying episode, which was relayed to the newspaper by security sources, explains why Ms. Truss was compelled to change the mobile number she had used for more than a decade soon before becoming Prime Minister.
Her choice to do so was publicized at the time because Cabinet Ministers and advisers were suddenly unable to contact her, causing confusion and worry.
Saturday afternoon, a representative for the British government released a statement to the Ministry of State stating, ‘We do not comment on the security arrangements of individuals.’ There are powerful measures in place to safeguard the government against cyber assaults. This includes providing Ministers with regular security briefings and guidance on securing their personal data and reducing cyber threats.