Image Credit: The Moscow Times
Russian intelligence agents reportedly killed a suspected Ukrainian military intelligence officer on Tuesday, alleging he was planning to assassinate a senior Russian defence industry executive. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the man, born in 1984, was identified as a Russian citizen and was said to be working for Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence.
Authorities claimed the suspect had been instructed by his handlers to assemble an improvised explosive device (IED) intended to target a defence executive in the Sverdlovsk region, an important hub for Russia’s defence manufacturing. Russian law enforcement said the suspect had been engaged in illegal trafficking of explosives, allegedly for the planned assassination.
The FSB reported that the man was killed during an attempted arrest after a gunfight ensued. The suspect was allegedly attempting to hide the IED in a cache when he was intercepted. The FSB said, “While being apprehended, he offered armed resistance and was neutralised by return fire.”
Footage released by state-run news agencies displayed the body of a man holding a handgun in a wooded area, with additional images showing what authorities described as explosive device components discovered in a garage. However, the FSB did not reveal the identity of the intended target, describing the individual only as a “senior employee of a defence company.”
No official response has been issued by Kyiv regarding the allegations. While Russian authorities have frequently claimed plots by Ukrainian agents to destabilise the country, such accusations have yet to be independently verified. The incident marks another escalation in tensions between the two nations, already locked in a protracted conflict.
As of now, no further details have been made available regarding the outcome of the investigation.
Credit: The Moscow Times