Ukrainian authorities claim responsibility for taking out suspected Russian assassins believed to be behind the murder of a Ukrainian intelligence officer.
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced the elimination of two suspected Russian special service agents involved in the assassination of SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych.
The SBU revealed that the suspects, a man and a woman, were acting under the orders of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and were sent to Ukraine with the specific mission to surveil Colonel Voronych, gather intelligence on his daily routine, and ultimately assassinate him.
Colonel Voronych, who was part of the SBU's Special Operations Center (Alpha), had been involved in sabotage and counterintelligence operations against Russian forces since the conflict began in 2014, making him a high-value target for the Russian security agencies.
The assassination took place in Kyiv on Thursday morning. According to the SBU, the suspects attempted to go underground after the killing but were tracked down in the Kyiv region by the SBU and National Police. During an operation led by SBU head Vasyl Malyuk, when the suspects resisted arrest and engaged in a firefight, they were eliminated by Ukrainian forces.
Malyuk emphasized that the FSB's combat agent group had killed Colonel Voronych prematurely and underscored that for Russian operatives on Ukrainian territory, "the only prospect... is death." The SBU has reported that 85% of Russian special service operations in Ukraine are prevented through their efforts.
This week also saw the largest and second largest drone attacks of the conflict, with the SBU claiming responsibility for Ukraine's audacious drone attack against Russian airfields last month. The escalation of attacks from Russia, coupled with the assassination of Colonel Voronych, highlights the ongoing covert conflict between Ukrainian intelligence and the Russian FSB.
[1] SBU Head Confirms Elimination of Suspected Russian Agents in Assassination of SBU Colonel, SBU Press Release, July 11, 2025. [2] SBU Reveals Details of Assassination of SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych, SBU Press Release, July 15, 2025. [3] SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk on the Assassination of SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych, SBU Press Conference Transcript, July 12, 2025.
- The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, along with war-and-conflicts and politics, takes the spotlight in Europe as the General News outlets report on the assassination of SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych, which was confirmed by SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk this week.
- According to crime-and-justice reports, the suspected Russian special service agents involved in the assassination of Colonel Voronych were identified by the SBU as a man and a woman working under the orders of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
- In a press conference, SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk discussed the assassination of Colonel Voronych, a high-value target due to his role in sabotage and counterintelligence operations against Russian forces since 2014, stating that, for Russian operatives on Ukrainian territory, the only prospect is death.
