Photo: National Police of Ukraine
Planned high-profile assassinations and terrorist attacks: the National Police, together with European counterparts, exposed a network of Russian agents.
The group included citizens of seven countries. Ukraine’s National Police, in cooperation with European partners, uncovered a Russian intelligence network that had been preparing a series of murders and terrorist attacks not only in Ukraine but also across the EU. The criminal group consisted of citizens of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Latvia, and Greece, the National Police reported. So far, 13 individuals have been formally charged. Nine of them were detained in EU countries, while European arrest warrants have been issued for four others. Three suspects detained abroad have already been extradited to Lithuania, and procedures are ongoing for two more.
The planned attacks were to be carried out alongside cyberattacks, information-psychological operations, and sabotage activities, all aimed at undermining the national security of Ukraine and its partners.
Members of the group had clearly defined roles, ranging from intelligence gathering and logistics to preparing tools for carrying out crimes. They communicated via secure channels, using anonymous accounts and temporary SIM cards. “Among the potential targets were Ukrainian journalists, a servicemember of Ukraine’s military intelligence, and foreign nationals. In particular, a Russian public figure opposed to the aggressor state’s government, as well as a Lithuanian pro-Ukrainian activist who publicly criticizes Russia’s policies,” the National Police stated.
The agents conducted illegal surveillance of targets, collecting data on their locations, tracking movements, and monitoring contacts. Ukrainian law enforcement documented that some members maintained direct contact with representatives of Russian special services. They also recruited Ukrainian citizens, including minors, socially vulnerable individuals, and internally displaced persons, as such groups are easier to manipulate.
The network’s activities were financed through a multi-layered system involving intermediaries, complex financial instruments, and cryptocurrency. Investigators have already traced transaction chains and confirmed the use of crypto assets for payments among the operatives.
“As part of the international operation, suspects were detained in Lithuania and other EU countries, searches were conducted in Ukraine, Poland, and Greece, and individuals involved in financing and coordinating the criminal activities were identified,” the National Police added.
It is worth noting that in February, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, and the General Inspectorate of Police of Moldova dismantled another Russian agent-combat group that had been preparing a series of high-profile assassinations in Ukraine. The large-scale спецoperation, codenamed “Enigma 2.0,” was carried out in both countries, as the perpetrators were brought in through Moldova. They had been tracking journalists, military personnel, and public figures—collecting addresses, routes, and habits—and were awaiting the final order to carry out the killings.
Two similar incidents also occurred this spring within Ukraine. In late March, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained a Russian GRU agent group that was planning multiple assassinations in Kyiv, targeting military personnel and public figures. A few days earlier, the Security Service neutralized a GRU contract killer and detained his accomplices. The suspect resisted arrest and was killed, while ten accomplices were taken into custody. The group had been preparing assassinations of well-known individuals across Ukraine, including Defense Ministry advisor and activist Serhii Sternenko, as well as Russian national Illia Bohdanov, who has been fighting for Ukraine since 2014.
