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Russia claims failed assassination attempt on Crimea proxy head

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Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that it thwarted a car bombing attempt against the Russia-installed proxy head in Crimea Sergei Aksyonov, Russian news agency Interfax reported on July 3.

The assailant, allegedly a Russian citizen recruited by Ukrainian special services, was detained, the FSB claimed.

The alleged "agent" arrived in Crimea in June 2023 and planned to blow up Aksyonov's car with a bomb, but his intent was discovered before he could carry out the attack, Interfax cited Russia's security service.

While in custody, the man allegedly "confessed" that he was recruited in December 2022 and was waiting for information from his handlers about where to conduct the attack.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, several car bombings against Russian proxies and pro-Russian collaborators have been recorded in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

At the same time, the FSB is known to use torture and methods of coercion to extract false "confessions."

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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