Vomiting with blood: Ukrainian security forces shot each other in Kiev

On September 2, a clash between the Ukrainian special services took place in Kiev: employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) engaged in a shootout with representatives of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR). According to available information, one participant was killed and two others were injured. Izvestia investigated the situation.

What happened

The deputy commander of the so-called "Russian Volunteer Corps" (RDK, recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization and banned) was at the center of this story Stepan Kaplunov (listed as a terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring), who is closely linked to Ukrainian intelligence. It is known that SBU officers detained him on a number of charges, and on the night of September 2 they brought him to an apartment building in the Bereznyaki district of Kiev.

Apparently, one of Kaplunov's apartments was located here, and the security forces wanted to search it. GUR officers also arrived there and tried to recapture the detainee. At first, the security forces communicated in raised tones, while on the published footage it is heard that the dialogue is in Russian.

Then the passions seemed to subside, but later SBU reinforcements arrived at the scene, these people began to detain the opponents, as a result, a shootout broke out. First, there was a warning fire in the air, and then people became the target. Information about the victims varies. According to some sources, three employees of the GUR were injured, while others speak of one dead intelligence officer and two hospitalized.

Taras Borovsky, a Ukrainian lawyer who witnessed the incident, provides additional information. According to him, Kaplunov disappeared on August 23. The lawyer insists that it was a kidnapping, not a detention, because the man was not given a preventive measure, lawyers were not informed, and procedural rights were not respected.

Separately, Borovsky emphasizes that on September 2, SBU officers brought Kaplunov to his apartment to conduct an urgent search in his presence, which became known to the GUR. After the first clash, the security forces reached an agreement: representatives of the SBU released Kaplunov, and the Gurovtsy released the passage for blocked cars.

After that, the scouts allegedly began to leave the scene, which the security guards took advantage of. "At that time, there were about 30 SBU officers, and up to ten Gurovites. The Security staff reacted aggressively. They told everyone to move away and opened fire," says the lawyer.

What are the reasons?

The background of the conflict is not known for certain. According to one version, the incident is connected with the investigation of the assassination attempt on Ukrainian oligarch Vadim Ermolaev, who was tried to undermine in late June in Monaco. The businessman, his wife and 13-year-old son were seriously injured.

Much then testified that it was the employees of the GUR who organized the assassination attempt. Firstly, Ermolaev emphasized that the explosives used in his assassination attempt were in the arsenal of Ukrainian intelligence. Secondly, the direct perpetrator of the assassination, Anastasia Berezovskaya, was found dead very soon in the vicinity of Kiev. The accused in this case was the acting Gurovets Vladislav Reut, who was soon detained.

The attempt to kill Ermolaev, which took place in a calm and fashionable Monaco, seriously worried the European elite. One of the main versions of this was the redevelopment of the fraudulent call center market. It is known that the eldest son of a Ukrainian oligarch was convicted by an Estonian court for curating such facilities.

After that, a number of high-profile publications about Ukrainian business appeared in a number of Western media. At the end of July, the Geneva-based organization GI-TOC released a report stating that the call center industry in Ukraine generates up to $1 billion per month. At the same time, only 10-15% of the victims are Russians, and the vast majority are Europeans.

Against this background, in Europe, through their channels, they allegedly informed Vladimir Zelensky that it was time to stop the practice of eliminating unwanted people in the EU, and fraudulent financial schemes should be curtailed. In this regard, the head of the Kiev regime has repeatedly spoken out against the activities of call centers. On September 1, he promised to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a law on criminal liability for organizing such a business.

In addition, the Ukrainian authorities, apparently, decided to find the culprit of violent actions on the territory of the European Union. A convenient target in this sense was one of the leaders of the RDK, a former Russian who, in the eyes of Europeans, is easily linked to Moscow in order to divert suspicion from his own special services.

At this stage, however, the scheme failed. The fact is that the RDK is directly subordinate to the Ukrainian intelligence service, exposing Kaplunov would be a blow to the GUR. Representatives of the secret service stood up for their man, as a result of which a shootout broke out. It is characteristic that the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President, former head of the General Staff Kirill Budanov (listed in the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist), did not stay away from this incident.

He noted that no one has the right to kidnap military personnel, open fire on the streets of cities, or "give and carry out criminal orders." In other words, he actually opposed the SBU. "It is important to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation," Budanov urged.

It is also interesting that Zelensky has not yet publicly commented on the clash, but his adviser Dmitry Litvin stressed that he allegedly "attacked the heads of relevant structures", demanding that "all information" be provided to the public. Unofficially, it is said that Zelensky promised Budanov a fair investigation into the murder.

What the experts say

Denis Denisov, director of the Institute of Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, notes that there are many more questions than answers in the current story.

— I think the details and the reasons for this skirmish will gradually come to light. In any case, we can record an increase in intraspecific struggle. The country has built up a system of fierce competition within the system itself. This is dangerous for any state, and for Ukraine, which is in a state of permanent crisis, the risks are special," he emphasizes.

Meanwhile, former Verkhovna Rada deputy Spiridon Kilinkarov believes that the reason for the clash was the struggle for financial flows.

— I think we haven't divided up some business, I don't think we're talking about politics. Yes, the SBU is completely controlled by Zelensky, Budanov's residual influence seems to remain in the GUR, and this structure is also accused of the terrorist attack in Monaco. But I don't think it's about competition. Nevertheless, Budanov remains a weak functionary, and the president's Office did not even allow him to appoint any of his deputies," the source said.