Andrii Nebitov, Deputy Head of the National Police, stated that russian agents attempted to kill a high-ranking official of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine using an FPV drone.
He reported this on his Facebook page, according to the Ukrainian News agency.
"An FPV drone, the so-called 'Zhduun.' Right in the heart of Kyiv. The client — russian special services. The hitman’s reward — USD 100,000. This brazen, high-profile crime targeting the head of an intelligence unit was intended to strike at Ukraine’s combat capability and break our spirit. It would have been a gift for russian propaganda — and an irreparable loss of a talented person who was causing pain to the occupiers," Nebytov wrote.
To organize the murder, the russians recruited a 38-year-old Kyiv resident with a criminal record. With a criminal past, he was familiar with police methods and maintained strict secrecy — encrypted conversations, anonymous cryptocurrency accounts, and carefully planned escape routes.
However, after receiving the information, the police “guided” the hitman through every stage — from selecting the method of murder to finding the actual perpetrator — without the russian intelligence services suspecting a thing.
Working together with investigators and special forces, the hitman was apprehended, and russia’s plans were thwarted.
"This fact proves once again: the battlefield today is not limited to the front lines, and the state needs soldiers capable of solving the extremely complex tasks of hybrid warfare. Sometimes, to win a battle and save lives, what is needed is not weapons, but intelligence and skills honed over years,” Nebytov said.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, a group of hitmen was previously exposed for planning contract killings of prominent Ukrainian citizens and foreigners — journalists, public figures, and fighters. It was established that the network’s members operated under the supervision of the special services of the aggressor state, russia; for each murder, the russian side promised the perpetrators up to USD 100,000. Yusov himself stated at the time that this was not the first time russia had attempted to assassinate him.
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