After the assassination of Colonel Ivan Voronych, Ukraine's Security Service claims to have killed two Russian agents involved in the attack. This incident highlights escalating tensions as both sides intensify their operations amid ongoing conflict.
Ukraine Strikes Back: Agents Targeted After High-Ranking Intelligence Officer's Murder
Ukraine Strikes Back: Agents Targeted After High-Ranking Intelligence Officer's Murder
In a swift retaliation, Ukrainian authorities eliminate two Russian agents following the shocking assassination of a military intelligence officer in Kyiv.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has announced the elimination of two Russian agents in response to the assassination of Colonel Ivan Voronych, a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer who was shot dead in Kyiv earlier this month. Voronych was ambushed in broad daylight on July 10 while in a car park, where an unidentified assailant fled after the shooting.
Vasyl Malyuk, head of the SBU, confirmed in a video statement that the agents linked to Russia's security service (FSB) were tracked down and killed after resisting arrest on Sunday morning. Authorities stated that the two suspects were "citizens of a foreign country," although further details were not disclosed. Moscow has not responded to these claims.
CCTV footage, verified by news agency Reuters, captured the moments leading up to the attack, showing a man exiting a building in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district shortly before Voronych was shot. The SBU reported that the agents had been monitoring Voronych's movements and were found with a pistol equipped with a silencer at a hideout.
The SBU is primarily focused on internal security and counter-intelligence operations, including witness protection, similar to the UK's MI5. However, it has gained notoriety for executing sabotage missions, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sources indicated that the SBU was also responsible for the death of high-ranking Russian General Igor Kirillov last December.
This latest escalation comes on the heels of increased Russian military strikes on Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighting record aerial attacks leading to the highest civilian casualties in three years, as reported by the UN. Ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine sees Russian forces making gradual gains and regaining control over areas previously seized by Ukrainian forces in past offensives.
Despite efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, progress remains stalled. Meanwhile, the U.S. has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, further complicating the conflict landscape as both parties prepare for continued confrontations.
