1. On Camera, Ukrainian Spy Shot Dead By Masked Man In Possible Assassination
A senior Ukrainian intelligence officer was shot dead on Thursday in Kyiv, prompting authorities to launch a probe and find if it was an assassination. The spokesperson for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has confirmed the incident, adding an investigation is underway.
According to CCTV footage obtained by CNN, a man is seen walking out of his apartment building in the capital's Holosiivskyi district. Carrying two bags, he is seen heading towards a parked car when a masked individual approaches him and shoots him from close range. The man collapses instantly.
The accused fires again, tucks the gun into his shorts and runs down the street in the other direction.
Ukrainian intel colonel — accused of sabotage in Russia — assassinated in Kiev
50-year-old SBU officer Ivan Voronich was shot dead with five silenced rounds in central Kiev today
The gunman reportedly escaped and is currently being sought pic.twitter.com/xblhBz980K
The officer, identified by Ukrainian media as Colonel Ivan Voronych, was reportedly in charge of Ukraine's security service's 16th department's 1st division, which specialises in high-level activities such as security missions, special operations, and counterterrorism.
Roman Chervinsky, a former Ukrainian intelligence officer, told The Telegraph, "With five shots at close range while leaving the apartment today at 8am, the enemy killer did his dirty work," adding, "Col Voronych had been fighting the enemy since 2014."
A spokesperson for the SBU told The New York Post that a criminal investigation was launched, adding that they and the National Police were now working together to find out the circumstances and take necessary measures to catch those responsible.
The shocking incident took place three months after Yaroslav Maskalik, a senior Russian military general, died in a car explosion in Moscow, a day after Russia carried out a deadly attack on Ukraine.
In December 2024, high-ranking Russian Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed, and Ukraine's security forces were thought to be behind the attack. However, Ukrainian officials never formally confirmed their involvement.
On Tuesday, over 728 drones and 13 ballistic missiles struck various cities of Ukraine, which it described as the largest Russian aerial assault since the war began in 2022. On Thursday, a fresh Russian airstrike hit Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring 16 others.
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