SBU eliminated a GRU hitman and disrupted a series of contract killings in Ukraine

The Security Service of Ukraine eliminated a Russian military intelligence hitman and detained members of an intelligence-combat group who were preparing high-profile murders.

This is reported by the SBU.

The special operation was carried out by military counterintelligence, investigators and special forces of the Central Intelligence Agency “A” under the coordination of the Service’s leadership. During the detention, the killer put up armed resistance, and as a result he was eliminated. More than ten other members of the group were taken into custody.

The investigation established that the suspects were preparing the assassinations of prominent figures in various regions of Ukraine. Among the potential victims are the advisor to the Minister of Defense and volunteer Serhiy Sternenko, as well as Ilya Bogdanov, who is fighting on the side of Ukraine.

The attackers tracked the addresses and travel routes of their targets and passed this data to the group leader, who turned out to be a forensic expert from Poltava who had been recruited by Russian intelligence.

The information was then passed on to a hitman from the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. He was trained at the GRU base and given the task of making improvised explosive devices and planting them under cars or near victims’ homes.

In the event of a failed detonation, he was to shoot targets at close range.

During the searches, weapons, ammunition, equipment, and other evidence of cooperation with Russian special services were seized from the suspects.

Investigators informed the detainees of suspicion under several articles at once, including treason, terrorist act, collaborationist activities, and illegal handling of weapons.

The defendants are being held without bail. They face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

It was previously reported that the SBU counterintelligence detained a Russian military intelligence agent in Rivne who was coordinating air attacks on facilities in the western region of Ukraine.

As a reminder, the SBU counterintelligence and the National Police prevented a terrorist attack in the center of Kharkiv and detained a 16-year-old Russian military intelligence agent.