SBU thwarted Russia's plan: a former serviceman for $100,000 was preparing to assassinate a GUR representative with an FPV drone
The target was also the deputy head of the headquarters for prisoner affairs; the suspect received a $10,000 advance and was looking for a perpetrator, disguising the negotiations as "construction"
In Ukraine, law enforcement thwarted an assassination attempt on a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, who is also the deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, and the suspect in preparing the crime was detained 4 June.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, allegedly involved in organizing the murder on the orders of representatives of the Russian Federation was a 38-year-old Ukrainian citizen, a former serviceman with combat experience and intelligence skills, who agreed to carry out the task for a reward of 100,000 US dollars.
The investigation established that the man received an advance payment of 10,000 dollars and began preparatory measures: he studied the intelligence officer’s lifestyle, place of residence, conducted surveillance of the area and calculated possible escape routes after the crime.
Having gathered basic information, the suspect, according to law enforcement, planned to use an FPV drone to commit the murder and was simultaneously looking for an operative who would have the appropriate skills and practical experience.
For secrecy, the participants communicated using code words from the construction field: they referred to the murder as “construction” or “work”, the client as the “foreman”, the perpetrator as the “builder” or “worker”, and the weapon as “tool” or “cement”.
During a set of investigative and operational-search actions, law enforcement timely documented the preparation of the crime and prevented its execution, after which the suspect was detained 4 June and was informed of suspicion of organizing the preparation for intentional murder for mercenary motives, committed on order and by prior conspiracy of a group of persons.
Currently a decision is being made on the imposition of a preventive measure in the form of detention, and investigative actions continue to establish the masterminds (those who ordered it), possible accomplices and all circumstances of the crime’s preparation.
In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and confirmed by a guilty verdict of a court.
