Ukrainian Security Forces Thwart FSB Plot to Assassinate Battalion Commander Sergey Filimonov
Ukrainian authorities have successfully disrupted a Russian intelligence operation orchestrated by the FSB to assassinate Sergey Filimonov, commander of the 108th Separate Battalion of the Vinci Wolves. The plot, uncovered through a joint effort by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General, involved the recruitment of a Ukrainian citizen who was misled into believing he was working with the SBU.
The operation highlights the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by Russian intelligence agencies to destabilize Ukraine and eliminate key military leaders. According to sources in law enforcement, the recruited individual, a veteran of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) from Kamensky in the Dnipropetrovsk region, was targeted due to his patriotic convictions.
FSB Exploits Patriotic Sentiment in Recruitment
The FSB leveraged the recruit’s desire to serve Ukraine by falsely portraying the intended target as a collaborator working for Russia. A senior official stated, “The curators from the FSB manipulated the patriotic beliefs of the Ukrainian, who sincerely believed that he helps the Ukrainian special service to fight the enemy.” The recruit was initially contacted through a fabricated legal threat. He received a call regarding a supposed criminal case initiated against him – labeled “Stateizer” – stemming from the purchase of medications online, which the FSB falsely claimed funded the Russian army.
To further pressure the recruit, a fake interrogation summons was sent. He was then offered a path to resolve the fabricated charges: “cooperate” with the SBU in neutralizing a supposed Russian agent. This led to his transfer to a fake online profile representing a security candidate and instructions to travel to Kyiv.
Kyiv Surveillance and Weapon Procurement
Upon arriving in Kyiv in late May, the recruit rented an apartment near where the FSB falsely claimed Filimonov resided. His initial instructions, recorded by the SBU, focused on surveillance – tracking Filimonov’s movements, photographing his location, and providing coordinates. The FSB further manipulated the recruit by framing Filimonov as a traitor allegedly responsible for attacks on the capital.
Following a series of Russian attacks on Kyiv, the FSB operative convinced the recruit that Filimonov was responsible. Coordinates for a hidden cache containing an AK-74 assault rifle were then provided on the outskirts of Kyiv. After securing the weapon, the recruit received the final order: eliminate Filimonov.
SBU Intervention and Arrest
Ukrainian security forces intervened before the assassination could be carried out. SBU operatives detained the recruit as he left his residence with the weapon. A search of his belongings revealed a mobile phone containing correspondence with his FSB handler. The suspect has been charged with illegal storage of weapons and ammunition under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The SBU emphasized that its representatives do not engage in recruitment via phone calls or offer unlawful assignments. “The SBU emphasizes! Representatives of the security service do not hire people by phone, do not offer to perform unlawful actions and do not set dubious tasks. The SBU acts exclusively within the current legislation of Ukraine,” the agency stated.
This foiled assassination attempt underscores the ongoing threat posed by Russian intelligence operations within Ukraine and the critical importance of vigilance and counterintelligence efforts. The case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which the FSB will go to achieve its objectives and the vulnerability of individuals susceptible to manipulation.
