The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that their counterintelligence prevented a second attempt on journalist Dmytro Hordon and detained four Russian FSB intelligence and combat groups, as well as their coordinator.
This is reported by the press service of SBU.
According to the case file, the Russian secret service promised $400 000 for the assassination attempt on Hordon. The preparation for the crime was entrusted to an undercover agent in Kyiv — a 36-year-old Russian citizen from the North Caucasus who moved to Ukraine before the full-scale war under the guise of a political exile from Russia. The FSB fabricated criminal cases against him and put him on the wanted list.
After the full-scale invasion began, the curator gave the defendant the task of creating intelligence and combat groups in Kyiv from people from the North Caucasus. When the man found agents, he used FSB money to buy several cars, disguised them as a taxi service, and equipped them with hidden video recorders.
As the investigation revealed, the drivers of these cars spied on Gordon to find out how he spent his day, where he went, and whether he had security. According to the FSB plan, after attacking Gordon, the killer was to quickly flee, throw away his weapon, and “disappear”. To do this, the coordinator was looking for a motorcycle on which the perpetrator could escape.
The SBU counterintelligence detained the coordinator and all members of the intelligence and combat groups during the preparation stage for the assassination attempt.
The investigation also revealed that these individuals were given additional tasks — to correct enemy fire and prepare attacks on foreigners fighting for Ukraine. Among the targets was a Russian citizen who is currently serving in the Russian Volunteer Corps on the Ukrainian side.
The SBU investigators informed the detainees of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (terrorist attack). The suspects are in custody. They face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.
- In 2024, SBU neutralized another Russian FSB agent network that was preparing terrorist attacks in Ukraine, including the murder of Dmytro Hordon.
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