The Security Service of Ukraine successfully thwarted an attempt by Russian special services to organize an assassination of Serhiy Filimonov, the head of the 108th separate battalion ‘Da Vinci Wolves’.
This is reported by Kyiv24
How the FSB Recruited the Assassin
According to the investigation, an FSB agent, posing as an SBU employee, established contact with a participant in the ATO from Kamianske. She convinced the man that the online store where he had previously purchased medical supplies allegedly supports the financing of Russian troops. After that, he was accused of “state treason” and informed about the opening of a fictitious criminal case.
“As the investigation established, a representative of the Russian special service called the man through one of the social networks, posing as an employee of the Security Service of Ukraine. During the conversation, she informed him that the online store where the individual had previously ordered medical supplies allegedly finances the Russian Armed Forces. This fabricated information was used to accuse the Ukrainian of ‘state treason’ and to inform him about a supposed criminal case opened against him,” the statement said.
The fake summons for interrogation at the SBU that the man received became the basis for a proposal for ‘cooperation’ in exchange for closing the case. Under FSB control, he was to arrive in Kyiv and carry out a task to eliminate the Ukrainian military officer. For this purpose, the recruit rented an apartment in a residential complex where, according to Russian intelligence, Serhiy Filimonov resided, and began to surveil him. He was also informed that the Ukrainian commander was allegedly a spotter for strikes on Kyiv.
Failure of the Russian Special Services Operation
After receiving the coordinates of a hideout on the outskirts of the capital, where an AK-47 was concealed, the recruit took the weapon and continued to surveil the target, waiting for the command to eliminate Filimonov.
SBU operatives detained the man as he was leaving the apartment with a loaded automatic weapon. During a search, they seized a mobile phone containing evidence of correspondence with Russian handlers. The detainee has been charged under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal possession of weapons and ammunition.
The SBU emphasizes the danger of fraudulent schemes involving citizens in criminal activities under the guise of fake service employees.
“The SBU emphasizes! Representatives of the Security Service do not hire people over the phone, do not offer to commit illegal actions, and do not set dubious tasks. The SBU operates exclusively within the framework of current legislation in Ukraine. In case of receiving a suspicious summons or contacts from unknown individuals claiming to be SBU employees, immediately report this to the SBU hotline at 0 800 501 482 or to the chatbot ‘Burn the FSB Agent’,” the Security Service of Ukraine urges.
Thanks to the timely actions of the SBU, yet another crime organized by Russian special services on the territory of Ukraine has been prevented.
