Ukrainian law enforcement, in collaboration with Moldovan authorities, has dismantled an organized crime group allegedly plotting assassinations of prominent individuals in Ukraine and abroad. The operation has resulted in the arrest of ten suspects, including seven in Ukraine and three in Moldova, one of whom is identified as the group’s organizer.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine announced that the suspects have been formally charged. Legal proceedings are underway to request their detention pending trial.
According to investigators, the group operated under the guidance of Russian intelligence services, gathering intelligence on potential targets’ movements, residences, and lifestyles to facilitate planned killings for financial rewards. Reports indicate that the group had a clear division of roles, meticulously planning methods of execution, preparing weapons, and devising escape routes.
“For each assassination, the Russian side promised the perpetrators up to $100,000, depending on the prominence and influence of the target,” stated the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Authorities have identified at least five public figures as intended victims, including Andriy Yusov, a representative for strategic communications in the Ukrainian military’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
The planned executions could have provoked significant public outcry and been leveraged by the aggressor state to destabilize security in Ukraine, investigators noted.
The operation involved extensive surveillance and data collection, necessitating a well-coordinated network among participants. Over 20 simultaneous searches were conducted across various regions of Ukraine, leading to the seizure of weapons, ammunition, explosives, mobile phones, and computers, alongside evidence of communication with their handlers.
In Moldova, authorities arrested the organizer and two accomplices, with preparations underway for their court hearings. The investigation is ongoing.
Recently, Moldovan police announced that they are conducting a joint criminal investigation with Ukrainian law enforcement regarding the planned physical elimination of several public figures in Ukraine.
In a related case, a Polish citizen was convicted and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for espionage on behalf of Russian intelligence. His tasks included gathering security information about Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, a crucial logistical hub for supporting Ukraine and facilitating international travel for Ukrainians amid the ongoing conflict. This information could have been used in planning an assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities have disrupted an organized crime network planning assassinations of public figures. Ten suspects have been arrested, and investigations reveal ties to Russian intelligence services.