The Security Service of Ukraine has foiled a new attempt by russians to carry out a series of contract killings in Ukraine. Law enforcers neutralized a russian military intelligence (GRU) agent group and eliminated a killer who resisted arrest with weapons. More than 10 other members of the cell were taken into custody. This is said in the SSU statement.
The attackers were reportedly preparing murders of well-known people in different regions of Ukraine. Among them are the adviser to the Minister of Defense and volunteer Serhii Sternenko, as well as russian Ilya Bogdanov, who has been fighting for Ukraine since 2014.
Detention of a GRU agent. Photo: Security Service
Detention of a GRU agent. Photo: Security Service
To carry out the murders, the attackers tracked the addresses and routes of movement of military and public figures, and then sent the collected data to the group leader (resident). It turned out to be a forensic expert from Poltava recruited by the GRU of the russian aggressor country, who summarized the intelligence and "reported" to the russian special service. The occupiers then directly transferred the data of potential victims to the liquidator agent, including the addresses of residence and routes of the "targets."
According to the case file, the killer is a native of the temporarily occupied part of the Donetsk Region. There he underwent combat training at the GRU base of the aggressor country russia and was later transferred to the territory controlled by Ukraine.
The SSU established that he was supposed to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and plant them under cars or near the homes of his victims. In case of "unsuccessful" explosion, the killer was instructed by his russian supervisor to shoot the victims at close range.
During the searches, firearms, ammunition, voice recorders, computer equipment and video surveillance cameras with evidence of work for russian special services were seized from the attackers.
Detention of a GRU agent. Photo: Security Service
Detention of a GRU agent. Photo: Security Service
"The success of the operation was largely achieved due to the infiltration of the enemy and the active work of the SSU CI in the Poltava Region, a set of operational and combat measures in the temporarily occupied territory. The SSU sources were brought to the controlled territory and are safe," the SSU said.
Security Service investigators have now served the detainees a notice of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 2, Art. 28, Part 2 Art. 111 (high treason committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons under martial law);
- Part 2, Art. 28, Part 7, Art. 111-1 (collaboration activities committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons);
- Part 2, Art. 114-2 (unauthorized dissemination of information on the direction, movement or deployment of the Armed Forces or other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, committed under martial law);
- Part 1, Art. 14, Part 2, Art. 258 (preparation for a terrorist act committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons);
- Part 1, Art. 263 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives).
The attackers are in custody without the right to be released on bail. They face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, an adjuster of the russian military intelligence was detained in the Rivne Region.
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