Ukraine's 'revenge operation' in Russian Far East blows up troops accused of war crimes, intelligence source claims
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) carried out explosions in Russia's Vladivostok as a "revenge operation" targeting troops accused of war crimes, a HUR source told the Kyiv Independent on Sept. 16.
Vladivostok, a major port on the Sea of Japan near China, lies about 6,000 kilometers (3,730 miles) east of Ukraine, making it one of Russia's most distant cities from the war's front lines.
The operation struck the 47th Airborne Assault Battalion of the 155th Guards Marine Brigade, stationed in the village of Shchitovaya in Russia's Primorsky Krai.
According to the source, the battalion fought in near Kyiv, Vuhledar, Mariupol, Kursk, and Pokrovsk, and was accused of brutality against civilians and executing Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The source reported powerful blasts in the parking lot of a military facility, followed by a second explosion. Russian media said emergency services and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene.
Authorities fenced off administrative buildings and parking zones and started inspecting vehicles.
"We are waiting for obituaries to appear in the media outlets of Vladivostok," the source said.
Local officials said the explosions were caused by a gas equipment malfunction, adding that "there were no casualties, though several vehicles suffered minor damage."
This comes as the second operation of its kind this year. In May, HUR carried out explosions near Vladivostok, also targeting Russia's 47th Airborne Assault Battalion, an intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent at the time.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Russia rarely discloses its military losses publicly.
Ukraine has previously carried out targeted sabotage operations deep inside Russian territory, hitting military logistics, fuel depots, and infrastructure critical to Moscow's war effort.
