10 detained in Moldova, Ukraine over alleged Russian-ordered plot to kill prominent Ukrainians
Ten people were detained in Moldova and Ukraine for allegedly plotting contract killings of prominent Ukrainians on Russia's orders, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Feb. 20.
The Moldovan Police and Ukrainian law enforcement agencies announced a day earlier that they had launched a criminal investigation into an alleged plot to assassinate several public figures in Ukraine. The probe is being carried out by a joint investigative team formed by the two countries.
The operation, codenamed "Enigma 2.0," was carried out jointly by the SBU, Ukraine's National Police, and Moldova's Police.
The suspects were reportedly planning attacks targeting Ukrainian journalists, public activists, the head of a strategic enterprise, and personnel of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), including members of the International Legion, according to the SBU.
Andrii Yusov, representative for strategic communications at the Main Intelligence Directorate, deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, was one of the targets of the attackers, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said.
The suspects considered various assassination methods, including shootings and car bombings. The Russian organizers of the alleged plot promised payments of up to $100,000 for each target, the report read.
In a joint operation, Ukrainian and Moldovan law enforcement agencies arrested the alleged leader of a criminal group — a 34-year-old man — along with several accomplices operating in Ukraine, EU member states and Transnistria, a Kremlin-occupied region in Moldova.
The SBU said the leader had been recruited by Russian special services while serving a prison sentence in Russia. He was tasked with forming and coordinating the group under Moscow's supervision.
The network was divided into surveillance and assassination teams. Some members entered Ukraine as tourists and stayed in rented apartments across different regions.
The suspects allegedly used cryptocurrency wallets and foreign bank cards to finance preparations. To monitor potential targets, agents posed as delivery couriers, conducted photo and video surveillance, marked geolocations on digital maps, and reported to their coordinator.
The detainees have been charged with preparation for premeditated murder and illegal weapons. They face potential life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Ukraine's National Police described the case as an example of effective international cooperation against hybrid threats.
"Russian aggression takes many forms — from open military action to attempts to destabilize the country from within. Accountability for these crimes is inevitable," the Prosecutor General's Office said on Telegram.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating assassination attempts and sabotage operations inside the country.
A Polish court sentenced a Polish citizen to 3.5 years in prison on Feb. 3 for allegedly offering to assist Russia in a plan to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky.
