A Canadian military counter-intelligence officer, accused of sharing sensitive information with Ukraine, was part of a probe into claims that a prominent Canadian defense journalist had ties to Russian intelligence. Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was assigned to investigate allegations that journalist David Pugliese had been recruited by the KGB in the early 1980s, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The accusations were publicly raised by former Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander during a House of Commons committee meeting in October 2024. Pugliese, a respected journalist known for exposing misconduct within the Department of National Defence, strongly denied the allegations when he appeared before the committee.
Robar is facing eight charges under the National Defence Act and the Security of Information Act for unauthorized contact with a foreign entity. Confidential sources confirmed that the individual in question represented Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency.
The investigation into Pugliese’s alleged ties to Russian intelligence began when a dossier surfaced in Eastern Europe in 2023. The Ukrainian intelligence agency passed the dossier to Canadian authorities for further examination, suspecting it to be part of a Russian disinformation campaign to undermine Canadian institutions and relationships.
The authenticity of the dossier has been called into question by experts, with claims that the documents are likely forgeries. Pugliese stated that he was never contacted by Robar or the Defense Department regarding the allegations or investigation. Allegations against Robar include unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information and attempts to establish ties with a foreign intelligence agency, but none of these claims have been proven in court.
The case has stirred controversy and confusion, with ongoing efforts to verify the credibility of the dossier and related reports. Pugliese emphasized that his reporting aimed to uphold accountability and dismissed the accusations as baseless attempts to discredit him.