The Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General have announced that they have foiled an assassination attempt on the civil society activist Hennadiy Druzenko, president of the First Mykola Pirogov Volunteer Mobile Hospital. According to the investigation, a 19-year-old resident of Mykolaiv, who had been recruited by the Russian security services, was detained in the Kyiv region whilst preparing the attack. He is charged, amongst other things, with treason and conspiring to commit a contract killing.
Briefly about the main points
- A man suspected of planning an attack has been arrested in the Vyshhorod district.
- Investigators believe that he was recruited by the Russian secret services.
- According to the SBU, the attack was planned whilst out walking the dog.
- Weapons, ammunition and mobile phones were seized during the searches.
- The suspect is in custody; the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
Recruitment, surveillance and the attack plan
According to the SBU, the Russian security services took notice of a resident of Mykolaiv because of his activity on social media and recruited him. After that, according to the investigation, he monitored a potential victim, studying her daily routine and travel routes.
A Russian handler gave the operative the coordinates of a hiding place, from where he retrieved a pistol with ammunition and a silencer, the SBU reported. According to the organisers’ plan, the suspect was to spend the night in the woods near the activist’s house and then attack him in the morning whilst he was out walking his dog.
The arrest took place at the end of July
Law enforcement officers publicly announced the case on 10 September. At the same time, the public prosecutor’s office clarified that the arrest took place on 31 July in the Vyshhorod district of the Kyiv region — at a time when, according to the investigation, the man was preparing to carry out a mission.
During the searches, law enforcement officers seized three pistols fitted with silencers, ammunition and mobile phones. According to the investigation, evidence of contact with FSB representatives was found on the devices.
Druzenko confirmed reports of a plot to assassinate him
Hennadiy Druzenko confirmed that an assassination attempt had been planned against him. He thanked the staff SBU for the operation and said that, after exposing the Russian security services« plan, he had effectively »been given a new lease of life’. He is not revealing any details due to the ongoing investigation.
Druzenko is the founder and president of the Mykola Pirogov Mobile Field Hospital, a voluntary organisation. The hospital is officially integrated into the Ukrainian Defence Forces to provide medical evacuation and assistance in combat zones.
Suspicion, pre-trial measures and the subsequent investigation
The man has been charged with treason committed under martial law, conspiracy to commit contract murder, and the unlawful handling of weapons and ammunition. He is currently in custody.
If found guilty, the suspect could face life imprisonment with confiscation of property. Law enforcement agencies are establishing all the facts of the case and identifying any other possible participants, whilst the court will make the final legal assessment.
