Based on the evidence collected by the Security Service, an FSB agent who was planning the murder of a city council official in Zaporizhzhia has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property.

The SSU apprehended him in August 2024 red-handed as he was heading – disguised as an electrician – to the home of his intended victim, planning to kill him with a hammer blow to the head.

As the investigation established, the enemy mission was carried out by a repeat offender from Melitopol who was spotted by the occupiers while serving a sentence in a russian prison for intentional murder, even before the full-scale invasion.

In June 2024, the russian intelligence approached him and offered cooperation in exchange for a house on the temporarily occupied left bank of the region.

The asset was then sent to special training courses at a training centre of russia’s federal security service in the temporarily occupied Melitopol. There, he underwent firearms training, knife-fighting techniques, and practiced covert operations.

After training, the agent was deployed to Zaporizhzhia, where he settled in a rented apartment and tracked his victim’s movements.

It was established that after eliminating the official, the perpetrator planned to flee to the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region via EU territory, using one of the mobilisation evasion schemes.

The SSU located the hired killer and detained him before the crime was committed.

During the searches, investigators seized tools and utility worker uniforms, which he had purchased for the disguise, as well as a smartphone containing evidence of his work for the enemy.

Based on the SSU’s investigation, the court found the accused guilty under two Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (high treason, committed under martial law);
• 14, 115.2 (preparation for premeditated murder committed on commission).

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Office in Zaporizhzhia region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.