Russian-plotted assassination attempt thwarted by Ukrainian authorities on the commander of Da Vinci Wolves battalion; documentation includes photos and videos.
Ukraine Thwarts Another Contract Assassination Attempt by Russia's FSB
In a series of covert operations, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has been attempting to assassinate high-ranking Ukrainian military commanders. The latest attempt, foiled by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and the Prosecutor General's Office, targeted Serhii Filimonov, commander of the 108th Separate Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, known as the Da Vinci Wolves.
According to reports, the FSB recruited a local resident from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, posing as the SSU. The recruit, a former Ukrainian soldier from the city of Kamianske, was contacted under false pretenses, with the FSB claiming he had been charged with treason and offering "cooperation" with the SSU in exchange for dropped charges.
The recruit was sent a fake application form to join the SSU and instructed to travel to Kyiv. Upon his arrival at the end of May, he was given coordinates of a weapons cache containing an AK-74 assault rifle on the outskirts of Kyiv. He was told that his mission was to eliminate a spotter allegedly working for Russia, not a Ukrainian military commander.
The direct assassination attempt on Filimonov was scheduled for early July. However, before the planned attack, SSU operatives apprehended the man as he stepped outside with the weapon. During a search, law enforcement officers found a mobile phone used to communicate with his handler.
During his time in Kyiv, the SSU documented him receiving initial instructions, including reconnaissance and area surveillance. The SSU emphasizes that Security Service officers do not recruit people over the phone, do not propose illegal acts, and do not assign suspicious tasks.
The FSB has a history of employing such tactics, as seen in another incident from July 2025, where a Russian FSB hit squad was sent to assassinate Ivan Voronych, a senior Ukrainian intelligence figure. The assassination attempt was countered by the SBU, which killed the FSB agent team responsible in a firefight.
These examples illustrate a pattern of highly targeted assassination and sabotage operations directed by the Russian FSB against Ukrainian military and intelligence commanders. The SBU has emphasized these tactics as increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.
While detailed public data on the total frequency of such attempts is limited in open sources, the prevention of multiple high-profile assassination plots in recent months suggests that contract killings by the FSB on Ukrainian commanders are a real and ongoing threat in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict since at least early 2025.
It is important to note that the SSU operates strictly within the framework of Ukrainian law. The SSU encourages anyone who suspects they may have been approached by foreign intelligence services for illegal activities to report it immediately to the authorities.
[1] "Ukraine Thwarts FSB-Backed Assassination Attempt on Military Commander." Kyiv Post, 1 Aug. 2025. Web. 15 Aug. 2025. [2] "Russia's FSB Orchestrated Assassination Attempt on Ukrainian Commander." Reuters, 2 Aug. 2025. Web. 15 Aug. 2025. [3] "SBU Foils Assassination Attempt on Senior Ukrainian Intelligence Figure." Interfax-Ukraine, 5 July 2025. Web. 15 Aug. 2025. [4] "FSB Recruited Local Resident to Assassinate Ukrainian Commander." Ukrainian News Agency, 31 July 2025. Web. 15 Aug. 2025.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have raised concerns about political instability and crime-and-justice, as evidenced by the repeated attempts by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) to assassinate high-ranking Ukrainian military commanders, such as Serhii Filimonov, a case that was recently thwarted by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).
- In the broader context of general-news, this incident underscores the complex economic implications of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, including the potential for increased spending on defense and security, as well as the potential implications for regional and international trade and investment, given the heightened tensions in the region.
