Photo: facebook.com SecurSerUkraine
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) have prevented an alleged terrorist attack planned by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) against a leader of the Russian opposition movement who had traveled to Ukraine for Independence Day.
The SBU said the target was a prominent figure in a Russian opposition political and nationalist movement. The agency did not disclose his name and said operational and investigative measures are currently underway.
According to sources cited by RBC-Ukraine, the person may be Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC). This identification has not been officially confirmed by Ukrainian authorities.
The case comes amid reports that Kaplunov recently disappeared near his home. The RVC said on September 1 that unknown individuals had allegedly abducted him from the courtyard of his building. The group said it had contacted HUR, the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigation after learning of his disappearance.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation confirmed that lawyers representing Kaplunov had submitted a statement concerning his disappearance, but said investigators were still assessing it before deciding whether to enter the information into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations.