A Russian hit squad accused of plotting high-profile assassinations in Ukraine has been dismantled, say Kyiv’s security services.
Assassins for Vladimir Putin’s shadow war were ‘neutralised’ amid multiple arrests in an operation codenamed Enigma 2.0.
Russian handlers promised the suspects up to £75,000 ($100,000) per assassination, depending on the ‘prominence’ of the target.
The targets of the intended contract killings included Ukrainian public figures, military intelligence officers, head of a strategic enterprise, fighters from Kyiv’s foreign legion, and leading journalists.
The head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence strategic communications, Andriy Yusov, was one target, according to reports.
Ten people were detained – seven in Ukraine and three, including the organiser, in Moldova.
Special services were seen storming the window of a safe flat to seize a suspect, believed to be in Moldova.
The cell’s leader was described as a 34-year-old repeat offender from Moldova, recruited by Putin’s secret services while serving a sentence in Russia.
He was allegedly tasked with building a covert network of operatives.
Members were divided into surveillance and execution teams, while the proposed method of killing included shooting at close-range and car bombings.
According to the SBU, the suspects entered Ukraine posing as tourists before spreading out across rented properties in different regions.
‘Mobile phones, computer equipment, weapons, ammunition and explosives were seized,’ said a Ukrainian statement.
‘Correspondence with Russian handlers was recorded, which confirms the coordination of criminal activity.’
Intelligence officers found the hit squad comprised ‘like-minded people’ who were pro-Kremlin and primarily had military experience.
The cell comprised the alleged leader, two of his agents, along with their accomplices from Ukraine, the EU and unrecognised Transnistria.
Money for preparing the attacks was received through crypto wallets and bank cards of foreign financial institutions.
To monitor the ‘targets’, the agents ‘pretended to be couriers of delivery services, who took photos and videos of the objects of the attack, marked their geolocations on Google maps and “reported” to the resident,’ said the SBU security service in Ukraine.
‘According to available data, Russian special services hoped to use the high-profile murders to spread panic and destabilise the socio-political situation in Ukraine.’
Criminal cases have been opened into the preparation of ‘premeditated murder on order’ and ‘illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives’.
