President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on September 3, 2023, that an investigation will be conducted to determine the causes of a shootout between Ukraine’s SBU Security Service and the HUR Military Intelligence Directorate in Kyiv, which resulted in injuries to three HUR members. The incident stemmed from a dispute over the nine-day disappearance of a Russian nationalist activist fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The activist claimed he was detained by the SBU and coerced into signing a confession of collaboration with Russian intelligence, which he later retracted. The clash occurred on Tuesday after the activist’s home was searched, with SBU officers firing upon HUR unit members. The SBU asserted it was acting to thwart a Moscow-inspired plot to assassinate Russian anti-Kremlin activists in Kyiv. Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of uncovering the truth and preventing similar occurrences, stating that an internal investigation will assess the leadership of both agencies, with both sides being held accountable for their actions. Two servicemen from the involved agencies have received notices of suspicion, and Zelenskiy has dismissed the head of the SBU’s department for the protection of state secrets, Oleh Khramov. ¹

Footnotes

1. Reuters. (2023, September 3). Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says investigation underway after clash between two security agencies. Yahoo News. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ukraines-zelenskiy-says-investigation-underway-212716660.html ↩

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