3 days ago
Putin hit squad sent to kill a Ukrainian colonel has been 'eliminated', says head of Kyiv's secret services
A Russian hit squad who earlier this week were said to have been sent to kill a Ukrainian secret services colonel in Kyiv have reportedly been 'eliminated'.
Ukraine 's Security Service (SBU) chief, Vasyl Malyuk, said a male and female team of assassins from Vladimir Putin 's FSB security agency resisted arrest and were gunned down as a result.
The SBU believed two FSB agents were behind the killing of Colonel Ivan Voronych, 50, who was shot five times near a residential block in the Ukrainian capital just three days ago with a silenced pistol in broad daylight.
The wanted woman was earlier named by the SBU as Narmin Guliyeva, 34, while the man was not initially identified but was pictured.
Voronych's assassination is said to have shocked Kyiv, with his role so secret that no images have since appeared of him following his death.
However, it is understood that he had orchestrated clandestine missions behind Russian lines, likely including the assassinations of pro-Putin figures.
Announcing today's operation, Mayluk said: 'This morning, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out the detention of an agent-combat group of the Russian FSB, who had been routed to Ukraine in advance, and three days ago committed the murder of SBU officer Colonel Ivan Voronych, our brave comrade.'
The Ukrainian spymaster said he had personally led the operation to hunt down the killers, adding: 'As a result of covert investigative and active counterintelligence operations, the enemy hideout was located, and this morning, active measures were taken to detain them.
The SBU believed two FSB agents were behind the killing of Colonel Ivan Voronych (above, minutes before he died), 50, who was shot five times near a residential block in the Ukrainian capital just three days ago with a silenced pistol in broad daylight
'They resisted, there was an exchange of fire, and they were eliminated.
'I want to remind everyone: there is only one outcome for the enemy on the territory of Ukraine - and that is death!'
An SBU statement said the murder of the Ukrainian defender was committed by two people - a man and a woman.
They said: 'Their supervisor ordered them to monitor the SBU officer, establish his daily schedule and routes.
'Later, the [Russian] handed over the coordinates of the cache to the killers, where there was a pistol with a silencer.'
'After killing the colonel of the security service, the killers tried to "lie low".
'But employees of the SBU and the National Police established their location in the Kyiv region.'
A special operation was conducted this morning, during which members of the agent-combat group of the FSB of the Russian Federation allegedly began to resist, so they were eliminated.
Voronezh was a colonel with the 1st Division of the 16th Directorate of the Special Operations Centre, said Ukrainian sources.
Ukrainian ex-MP Ihor Mosiychuk said on his Telegram channel: 'As a result of the shooting, the victim sustained multiple penetrating gunshot wounds and died at the scene.'
Moscow news outlet Readovka said Voronych was part of an elite Ukrainian force 'which operates not only as a law enforcement entity but also takes part in highly sensitive operations on Russian territory'.
Another Russian outlet Voenkor Kotenok TG said the colonel had 'founded a division that causes problems for Russia'.
