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Feb. 20, 2026, 11:54 a.m.
Group of killers hired by Russian special services detained in Odesa region and Moldova
This article also available in English1
PHOTO: SBU
SBU counterintelligence and police, with the assistance of their colleagues from Moldova, simultaneously detained a group of people suspected of preparing the murder of a number of well-known people in Ukraine on the orders of Russian special services.
According to the SBU press service, the main targets of the enemy were Ukrainian journalists and public figures, the head of a strategic enterprise, and military personnel of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, including members of the Foreign Legion of the Defence Intelligence.
To eliminate the potential victims, the defendants developed various assassination attempts: from point-blank shootings to car bombings. For committing the murders, Russian special services promised a reward of up to USD 100 thousand, depending on the status of the person.
As a result of joint actions, the SBU detained the head (resident) of the enemy cell, a 34-year-old repeat offender from Moldova, two of his agents, and their accomplices from Ukraine, the EU, and unrecognized Transnistria.
The investigation established that the main suspect was recruited by Russian special services while serving a sentence in a Russian prison. After serving his sentence, he was sent to Moldova to form an agent and combat group under the control of Russia.
The resident recruited like-minded people with pro-Kremlin views, primarily those with military experience. Later, the agents were divided into groups. The first of them tracked the location and daily routine of potential victims, the second group was assigned to killers who were to carry out contract killings.
The Russian agents were then transferred to Ukraine under the guise of tourists and then dispersed to rented houses in different regions of our country. It has been established that the agents were in constant contact with the resident, and received money for the preparation of the assassination attempts through crypto wallets and bank cards of foreign financial institutions.
VIDEO: SBU
To keep an eye on the targets, the agents pretended to be couriers of delivery services, who took photos and videos of the objects of the attempt, marked their geolocations on Google maps and reported to the resident. According to available data, Russian special services hoped to use the high-profile murders to spread panic and destabilize the socio-political situation in Ukraine.
During the searches, the SBU seized firearms, ammunition, combat grenades and communications equipment from the detainees. The suspects have been served a notice of suspicion of preparing a contract murder, illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives.
The issue of additional qualification of the criminal actions of the leader and members of the hostile cell is also being decided. If proven guilty, the detainees face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
