SBU and GUR shootout in Kyiv: special service claims attack, Budanov demands investigation (Updated)
The Security Service of Ukraine reported new details of the shooting in Kyiv, which earlier sources of "Ukrainska Pravda" described as a confrontation between SBU and GUR. According to the SBU, during a search in a case about a terrorist attack prepared by the FSB, a group of armed men attacked the investigative-operational group. After involving the "Alpha" special unit, law enforcement used weapons, there are wounded, and the attackers were detained. It later turned out that the detainees serve in one of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed these circumstances and announced the start of a pre-trial investigation into the fact of threats and encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer.
SBU version
According to the SBU, the incident occurred during urgent investigative actions in a criminal proceeding regarding a terrorist attack, which, according to the Ukrainian special service, was organized by the FSB of Russia.
Earlier, the SBU reported that together with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense it disrupted the preparation of a terrorist attack against one of the leaders of the Russian opposition political national movement. He arrived in Ukraine on the occasion of Independence Day. The special service did not name the potential victim or details of the assassination preparation.
During a search at one of the addresses, as the SBU claims, a group of people carried out an armed attack on the investigative-operational group. They also blocked the passage of law enforcement with cars, trying to prevent the conduct of investigative actions.
To stop the armed resistance, the SBU involved the Special Operations Center "A" - the "Alpha" special unit. During the operation, SBU officers used weapons.
According to the special service, among the people who resisted, there are wounded. The attackers were detained, and weapons and documents were seized from them. During initial investigative actions, it was established that the detainees belong to one of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The SBU did not name this unit and did not report the number of detained and wounded. At the same time, earlier "Ukrainska Pravda" citing sources reported three injured GUR employees.
SBI and prosecutor's office investigate shooting
After the conflict, investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation arrived at the scene. According to UP, representatives of the parties agreed to unload weapons so that investigators could begin procedural actions. The head of the CSO "A" of the SBU also arrived at the scene.
The Prosecutor General's Office reported that under its procedural guidance, a pre-trial investigation was initiated into the fact of threats and encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer.
Law enforcement must establish all the circumstances of the event and the role of each participant. The final legal qualification of their actions is still being determined.
Budanov reacted to the conflict
The head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that the SBI and the Prosecutor General's Office are already dealing with the situation, and called for a thorough and impartial investigation.
At the same time, he emphasized that no one has the right to kidnap servicemen with impunity, open fire on the streets of Ukrainian cities, or give or carry out criminal orders.
Budanov did not specify whom exactly he means when speaking about the kidnapping of a serviceman and criminal orders.
What is known about the disappearance of Stepan Kaplunov
The events in Kyiv were preceded by the story of the disappearance of the deputy commander for combat work of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Stepan Kaplunov.
On September 1, the chief of staff of the RVC, Oleksandr Fortuna, stated that Kaplunov was allegedly kidnapped a few days earlier by unknown persons in the yard of his house. According to him, after the serviceman's disappearance, representatives of the corps turned to the GUR, SBU and SBI, but received no information about his whereabouts or possible charges.
The SBI confirmed receiving a statement from Kaplunov's lawyers about a possible kidnapping. Then the agency reported that investigators were studying the appeal to determine the legal qualification and resolve the issue of entering information into the URDP.
On the morning of September 2, Kaplunov's lawyer Taras Borovsky published a video from the Dnipro district of Kyiv and stated that law enforcement officers arrived at the serviceman's home. According to him, after that, by alarm signal, Kaplunov's comrades arrived at the scene and shots rang out.
The police blocked part of Shumsky Street. An UP correspondent on the spot was told by law enforcement that a special police operation was being conducted there.
Initially, the SBU and GUR reported jointly preventing a terrorist attack that the FSB allegedly prepared against a Russian opposition figure. Later, the SBU released an expanded explanation of the shooting events. At the same time, there is currently no official message that directly links the criminal proceeding regarding the terrorist attack to Stepan Kaplunov.
Similarly, official bodies have not yet confirmed that all those detained during the incident are exactly GUR employees. The SBU only speaks about the detainees belonging to one of the units of the Defense Forces, while information about three wounded military intelligence employees comes from sources of "Ukrainska Pravda".
Based on materials: Security Service of Ukraine, RBK-Ukraine (Mariya Kucheryavets), Ukrainian Pravda
