Ukraine has confirmed the targeted killings of two Russian agents following the assassination of Colonel Ivan Voronych, a senior intelligence officer. Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), declared in a video statement that the agents, linked to Russia's FSB security service, were neutralized after resisting arrest on Sunday morning.
The incident unfolded on July 10, when Colonel Voronych was shot multiple times in a car park in Kyiv by an unknown attacker who quickly fled the scene. Authorities have stated that the two Russian agents were "citizens of a foreign country," revealing little about their identities or affiliations, and Moscow has not responded promptly to the claims.
CCTV footage shows a man exiting a building just moments before the fatal shooting, suggesting a premeditated operation. The SBU revealed that the agents were tracking Voronych's movements and had used a pistol fitted with a silencer during the assassination attempt. Subsequent investigations by the SBU and national police led to their identification and elimination.
The SBU, which functions primarily in internal security and counter-intelligence, has been notably involved in operations against Russian figures since the onset of the large-scale invasion. Sources within Ukraine's security apparatus have indicated that the SBU was responsible for the assassination of Russian General Igor Kirillov last December.
Amid escalating violence from Russian forces, including record aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is facing its most significant wave of aerial attacks to date. The ongoing conflict has led to a sharp rise in recorded civilian casualties and difficulties in achieving a ceasefire.
As the war rages on, the Russian military has made incremental advances in eastern Ukraine, further exacerbating the tensions on the ground with both sides bracing for continued combat.
