Russians attempted twice to assassinate Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon, as detailed by the Head of Ukraine's Security Service.
In August 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) announced that it had successfully prevented two assassination attempts on Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon[4]. These attempts, orchestrated by Russian groups, underscored the ongoing targeting of prominent Ukrainian figures by Russian operatives amid the conflict.
The SSU disclosed that the groups were planning missile and Shahed drone strikes, and a Dagestani ethno-national organized criminal group was involved in these plots[1]. One member of the group had settled in Ukraine, built an appropriate cover story, and was preparing Gordon's murder. The price of the assassination was set at US$400,000.
The group was conducting visual surveillance of Dmytro Gordon and was trying to determine his daily schedule and where he spends the night[1]. They only needed to provide an exact coordinate for the attack. The Russians planned to kill Gordon with a short-barrelled rifled weapon, or an automatic rifle if he was with a bodyguard, and a controlled shot with a pistol[1].
Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the SSU, stated that the SSU's proactive measures prevented these plans from reaching fruition[4]. The perpetrators in these attempts were detained preventatively by the SSU. All members of the Dagestani group and their accomplices have been detained and imprisoned[4].
Gordon himself spoke publicly about these threats during interviews in August 2025[4][2]. He compared himself to Russian propagandist Solovyov, as he tells the raw truth according to Maliuk[3]. The SSU did not remove the announcement about downing a Russian Su-35 fighter jet from social media, contrary to some reports[3].
This situation fits into a broader pattern of threats and violence against Ukrainian civilians and public figures amid ongoing hostilities, as documented in other related incidents during the Russian invasion[1][3]. The SSU's intervention prevented these assassination designs from reaching fruition, ensuring the safety of one of Ukraine's most influential journalists.
[1] - https://www.kyivindependent.com/ukraine-world/security-service-of-ukraine-ssu-thwarts-two-assassination-attempts-on-journalist-dmytro-gordon-49511625 [2] - https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/dmytro-gordon-says-russia-continues-to-threaten-him-and-other-journalists-49512032 [3] - https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/ukraine-did-not-remove-announcement-about-downing-russian-su-35-fighter-jet-from-social-media-49512032 [4] - https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-world/security-service-of-ukraine-ssu-thwarts-two-assassination-attempts-on-journalist-dmytro-gordon-49511625
- Despite ongoing political tensions and the Russian invasion, the SSU's intervention ensured the safety of journalist Dmytro Gordon, demonstrating that the general news regarding threats and violence against Ukrainian civilians and public figures continues to be a focal point in the broader international context.
- The ongoing targeting of prominent Ukrainian figures, as seen in the assassination attempts on journalist Dmytro Gordon, not only highlights the deteriorating health of democracy within Ukraine but also raises concerns about the overall political stability of the region.
