US energy secretary Rick Perry falls for fake interview with Russian pranksters

Energy Secretary Rick Perry thought he was talking about cybersecurity and a biofuel breakthrough in a call with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman. Alas, the 22-minute phone call was actually with Russian pranksters.

Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, who are described as the “Jerky Boys of Russia”, have conducted similar prank calls with US Senator John McCain and singer Elton John. They arranged the call with Perry last week, just a few weeks after he met Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, and his delegation.

In it they pitched Perry on a new fuel made from alcohol and manure and discussed President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord, according to a recording posted online.

They also wondered if Ukraine could get a cut-rate deal on US coal exports.

Maybe, Perry said.

“Negotiation is always possible,” he told them.

Ukraine and Russia are neighbours, but at odds over Russia’s annexation of the disputed Crimean region. Congress is poised to toughen sanctions on Russia after claims Moscow meddled the 2016 US election campaign.