Ukrainian Spy Chief Gunned Down in Kyiv
Voronich reportedly had plotted sensitive missions made to prevent Russian president Vladimir Putin’s war machine as well as embarrass the Russian tyrant, as reported by The Sun.
Why Was Colonel Ivan Voronich Targeted?
According to the report, Putin is said to have ordered the revenge hits himself after being humiliated due to the success of Operation Spiderweb in June, in which £5.2 billion worth of Russian warplanes were destroyed.
Ukrainian SBU agents had smuggled drones on trucks to within striking distance of air bases and had launched simultaneous remotely controlled attacks on Russia, as per The Sun report.
Moscow news outlet Readovka revealed that the SBU officer was part of an elite Ukrainian clandestine force that had carried out operations inside Russia, and the news outlet mentioned that the unit “operates not only as a law enforcement entity but also takes part in highly sensitive operations on Russian territory,” as quoted by The Sun.
Russian commentator Maksim Kalashnikov said that, “In Kyiv, Colonel Voronich, one of the organisers of special operations against us, a chief saboteur, was shot dead,” adding, “Our people have started working,” as quoted by The Sun in its report.ALSO READ: Inside the $10 million handbag: Why Jane Birkin’s Hermès purse made auction history
How is Ukraine Responding To the Loss?
An ex-SBU colonel, Roman Chervinsky, who was once the head of the 5th Directorate of the SBU Counterintelligence Department, said that Voronych’s killing amounted to a “huge loss,” according to the report. Chervinsky said that he had “initiated a direction in the [SBU] service that is now creating many problems for the Russians,” as quoted in the report by The Sun.
The former SBU officer said, “With five shots at close range, while leaving the apartment, today at 8 am, the enemy killer did his dirty work,” as quoted in the report.
As per CCTV footage, it shows that the officer was carrying bags from a residential building and was ambushed by the waiting gunman, who was masked, as a woman fled the scene, and an assassin is then seen running away on video, reported The Sun.
Ukrainian ex-MP Ihor Mosiychuk told The Sun that, “As a result of the shooting, the victim sustained multiple penetrating gunshot wounds and died at the scene,” as quoted in the report.
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What Are Ukrainian Authorities Doing Now?
According to the report, currently a manhunt is underway for the alleged assassin, and the Ukrainian police said, “All circumstances of the incident are currently being established. Measures are being taken to identify and detain the shooter.”
FAQs
Who was Colonel Ivan Voronich?
He was a senior intelligence officer in Ukraine’s SBU, leading special operations targeting Russian military activity.
Why would Putin want to kill Voronich?
Reports suggest the operation led by Voronich humiliated Russia, prompting retaliation from Moscow’s intelligence services.
