The National Police of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) prevented a series of contract killings targeting a public figure and representatives of law enforcement agencies, organized by Russian agents. The suspects were detained while preparing another crime.
According to law enforcement, the agent network consisted of four recruited individuals, including a law enforcement officer. Their activities were coordinated by a handler from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff, known by the call sign “Meteor.”
The suspects operated in Kyiv and the surrounding region according to a clear plan, with assigned roles. They selected potential targets among prominent public figures and representatives of the command of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, including the HUR, National Guard, and territorial defense volunteer units.
One of the participants, the head of a security firm, provided transportation — a vehicle equipped with flashing lights that allowed them to quickly leave the crime scene. The driver was a 46-year-old internally displaced woman from Zaporizhzhia, tasked with transporting the hitman and assisting in the escape.
The direct perpetrator — a man previously convicted of robbery — had been recruited back in 2022 in Kherson. Communication between the members was maintained via foreign messaging apps without storing message histories. Weapons and ammunition were obtained from hidden caches in Kyiv and Cherkasy regions.
All members of the network were detained while preparing the murder of a commander of one of Kyiv’s volunteer territorial defense units. During searches, law enforcement seized weapons, mobile phones, and SIM cards containing evidence.
It was also established that the agents planned to carry out several more assassinations of influential Ukrainian figures, including using explosive devices intended to be planted under vehicles.
The suspects have been notified of suspicion under articles on treason, attempted premeditated murder carried out on order by a group, and unauthorized actions with information. They face from 10 years to life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The handler and his associate have been notified of suspicion in absentia for treason, attempted sabotage, and organizing attempted murders.