Ukrainian Intelligence Neutralizes Suspected FSB Hit Squad in Kyiv

In a dramatic counterintelligence operation, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced the elimination of suspected Russian FSB agents believed to be behind the assassination of Colonel Ivan Voronych, a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer. The colonel was gunned down in broad daylight last Thursday in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, prompting a swift response from Ukrainian authorities.

According to the SBU, the suspects—a man and a woman—had been ordered to surveil Voronych’s movements before retrieving a silenced pistol from a hidden cache to carry out the killing. After the attack, the pair attempted to evade capture but were tracked down to a safe house in the Kyiv region.

During the arrest attempt on Sunday morning, the suspects reportedly resisted, leading to a firefight in which they were killed. The SBU emphasized that the operation was part of its broader mandate to protect national security and counter Russian espionage efforts, which have intensified since the 2022 invasion.

Colonel Voronych was known for orchestrating sensitive missions targeting Russian military infrastructure. His death is seen as a significant loss for Ukraine’s intelligence community, but officials say the swift retaliation sends a clear message: enemy operatives will find no safe haven on Ukrainian soil.