The Ukrainian and Moldovan police uncovered an organized group that, according to investigators, acted on orders from Russian security services and planned the killings of prominent Ukrainians and foreigners. Among potential targets was Andriy Yusov, the representative on strategic communications of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense. This information was disclosed by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and by the press services of the SBU and the National Police.
According to the investigation, the organizer and coordinator of the agent-operational group was a 34-year-old Moldovan citizen. According to available information, he had previously served a sentence in the Russian Federation, where he was recruited by Russian security services. After returning to Moldova, the man supported a pro-Russian faction whose activities were aimed at destabilizing the country and organizing mass protests in 2022-2023.
“The subject formed a hierarchical structure and recruited fellow-countrymen as assistants aged up to 25. They recruited young men, mostly those studying at military educational institutions, to carry out tasks for enemy security services abroad. In addition, they were involved in transporting them to Ukraine, settling them, financing them, and creating cover stories,” – the police say.
“To eliminate potential victims, the defendants developed various assassination options: from close-range shootings to car bombings. For carrying out murders, Russian security service officers promised rewards of up to 100,000 US dollars, depending on the status of the person”,
– Security Service of Ukraine
Chronicle of the Investigation
The investigation confirms that some group members, using concealment, including under the guise of couriers, monitored “targets,” conducted photo and video documentation, and gathered information about their daily routines, travel routes, places of residence and level of security. Others were responsible for acquiring weapons, organizing caches, concealment, and preparing methods of liquidation. The group members communicated with each other through “closed” communication channels, and to hinder tracking of financial transactions, money transfers were conducted through cryptocurrency wallets.
Operation “Enigma 2.0”: the detention of group members on February 19 – counterintelligence officers of the SBU in cooperation with the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine and the National Inspectorate of Investigations of the General Inspectorate of Moldova, with the participation of the Fulcrum special unit, on Moldovan territory detained a 34-year-old Moldovan citizen suspected of coordinating the agent-operational group, as well as people likely involved in this network.
At the same time, law enforcement in Ukraine conducted searches in Kyiv and Odesa. They seized communications equipment, weapons, equipment and other tangible evidence and also detained suspected members of the group.
Currently, the suspects have been notified of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 1 of Article 14, Clause 11 of Part 2 of Article 115 (preparation for premeditated murder for hire); Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal handling of weapons, combat ammunition, or explosive substances).
The suspects face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.