Based on the SSU’s investigation, Pechersk District Court of Kyiv sentenced the organizer of a sabotage and reconnaissance group of the main directorate of the general staff of the russian armed forces (better known as the GRU) to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The perpetrator was preparing physical elimination of the Minister of Defence, the Chief of the MoD’s Defence Intelligence Directorate and a well-known Ukrainian activist.

For murdering of each of them, russian handlers promised a reward of USD 100,000 to 150,000.

The SSU Counterintelligence and the SSU Special Operations Centre ‘A’ detained the suspect as a result of a multi-stage special operation in Volyn region in August 2022.

According to the investigation, the perpetrator is a resident of the temporarily occupied Luhansk. As a member of the ‘LNR’ terrorist organization, he had taken an active part in warfare against the ATO forces in eastern Ukraine.

After the full-scale invasion, he was recruited by a russian military intelligence officer for sabotage activities.

On the instructions of a coordinator from moscow, he was to organize elimination of a Ukrainian military serviceman who, according to occupiers, was supposedly involved in physical abuse of russian PoWs.

This murder was supposed to be a ‘test’ before the assassination attempt on the heads of Ukraine’s defence ministry and intelligence directorate.

During the search, the SSU found evidence of criminal actions, as well as a russian passport.

Based on the evidence collected by the SSU, the court found the accused guilty under the Articles of the CCU:

• 111 (high treason);
• 14, 27, 115 (preparation to commit a murder);
• 260 (participation in unlawful armed groups);
• 258-3 (participation in a terrorist organization).

The SSU is acting to bring to justice the coordinators of the sabotage activities, who are currently hiding in russia.

The operation and investigation were carried out by the SSU Office in Kyiv and Kyiv region jointly with the National Police investigators under the supervision of Pechersk District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv.