Ukraine Accuses Self of Killing Pro-Russian Politician in Moscow
Get ready to buckle up as we dive into the intriguing tale of a political assassination near Moscow, a city far from the Ukrainian borders. This time, Ukraine is taking responsibility for the death of pro-Russian politician Ilya Kyva. But wait, there's more! Another high-ranking Russian political figure, Oleg Popov, met his end in an attack in Luhansk, a city occupied by Russian troops. Let's dive into the details.
Unveiling the Mystery
The pro-Russian politician, Ilya Kyva, was found dead with a head wound in a suburb of Moscow, much to the chagrin of the Kremlin. According to Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman, Andriy Yusov, the SBU (Ukrainian Security Service) was the culprit behind Kyva's assassination. Yusov, in a fiery statement, called Kyva “one of the greatest traitors and collaborators” and declared that his killing was “just”, promising similar fates for other Ukrainian turncoats.
But who was the victim, Ilya Kyva? Kyva was a former member of the Ukrainian parliament until he defected to Russia a few weeks after the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. He lost his parliamentary seat after his defection, but the punchline came when he was gunned down in the suburbs of Moscow.
Rumors of similar attacks on pro-Russian politicians reached Ukraine a month earlier when another Luhansk regional parliament member was killed by an explosive device attached to his car. Ukraine shrugged off the attack on Popov, another pro-Russian politician, without comment, but promised responsibility for the killing of Ilya Kyva.
Running under Russian Occupation
The Luhansk region has been under Russian occupation since the start of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia last year. With approximately 400,000 residents, the region is home to the city of Luhansk, which has been the epicenter of the conflict. The Ukrainian armed forces have been attempting to liberate the territory from the Russian occupiers, with their front line around 100 kilometers from Luhansk.
Another Attack in Luhansk
While Ukraine took credit for Ilya Kyva's assassination, it was silent on Oleg Popov's death. Popov, a member of the Luhansk regional parliament and a staunch supporter of Moscow, was killed by an explosive device attached to his car in Luhansk.
Although the Russian Investigative Committee has launched an investigation into Popov's death, the Ukrainian government has not commented on this incident. In contrast, Yury Yorov, a member of the de facto parliament in Luhansk, suggested an attempted assassination of Popov was organized by the SBU back in September 2023, but no confirmation has been provided.
The Pattern of Attacks
This isn't the first time that pro-Russian politicians have faced attacks. Several high-ranking politicians appointed by Moscow have been targeted in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine and in Russia itself since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Initially, Ukraine remained neutral towards these attacks, but recent developments reveal a shift in its stance.
Ukraine's threat towards “collaborators” and “traitors” has resulted in a series of high-profile assassinations both within Russia and Ukraine-held territories. As the war of words between Ukraine and Russia intensifies, it remains to be seen whether this pattern of attacks against pro-Russian politicians will continue.
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The current status and investigation into the assassinations of pro-Russian politicians Ilya Kyva and Oleg Popov are as follows:
- Ilya Kyva:
- Incident: Kyva was shot and killed in the village of Suponevo, southwest of Moscow, on December 6, 2024.
- Investigation: The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed Kyva's death and has opened a criminal investigation. They state that an unknown individual shot Kyva, leading to his death on the spot.
- Blame: Ukrainian law enforcement sources told RFE/RL that the SBU organized the assassination of Kyva in a special operation, but no official claim of responsibility has been made by Ukraine.
- Oleg Popov:
- Incident: Popov was killed by an explosive device that detonated in his car in the city of Luhansk, a part of Ukraine's Luhansk region occupied by Russia, on December 6, 2024.
- Investigation: The Russian Investigative Committee launched an investigation into Popov's death.
- Blame: Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence claims responsibility for Popov's killing, but this claim has not been officially confirmed by Ukraine’s government. Yury Yorov, a member of the de facto parliament in Luhansk, suggested an attempt on Popov's life was organized by the SBU in September 2022, but no confirmation has been provided.
