---
title: "Assassination attempt on Russian long-range aviation general: two shots fired from a motorcycle near Saratov"
description: "In Saratov Oblast, an unknown man on a motorcycle fired twice at Russian Aerospace Forces Major General Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd long-range aviation division. Two days before the assassination attempt, the SBU formally charged him in absentia with involvement in the strike on Okhmatdet."
date: 2026-09-03T11:34:05.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/assassination-attempt-on-russian-general-varpakhovich-near-saratov
tags: [russia, assassination-attempt, saratov, long-range-aviation, ukraine-russia-conflict, okhmatdet, tu-95]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Assassination attempt on Russian long-range aviation general: two shots fired from a motorcycle near Saratov

![Russian long-range aviation general in uniform in front of a Tu-95 strategic bomber at the Varpakhovichi airfield, where he was shot twice from a motorcycle](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/03/pokushenie-na-generala-varpakhovicha-pod-saratovom/pokushenie-na-generala-varpakhovicha-pod-saratovom-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- An unknown man on a motorcycle fired twice at Russian Aerospace Forces Major General Varpakhovich in the settlement of Probuzhdenie, Saratov Oblast, on the morning of 3 September 2026
- Varpakhovich commands the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range aviation
- On 31 August 2026, the SBU and the Office of the Prosecutor General formally notified Varpakhovich of suspicion in absentia regarding his involvement in the strike on Okhmatdet on 8 July 2024
- The location of the attack matches one of the addresses associated with the general, according to the outlet ASTRA
- The identity of the attacker and the motive of the assassination attempt have not been established as of the time of publication

On the morning of 3 September 2026, in the settlement of Probuzhdenie in the Engels district of Saratov Oblast, an unknown man on a motorcycle opened fire on Russian Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich. According to available information, the attacker fired two shots: one bullet struck the officer in the face, the second wounded him in the body. After the attack, the perpetrator fled, and the injured man was rushed to Saratov in critical condition, where doctors are fighting for his life. The incident was reported by the RBC-Ukraine outlet, citing a post by the Telegram channel "Spy Dossier," as well as pro-Kremlin media, which confirmed the fact of the shooting.

### Circumstances of the attack

According to the information gathered, the incident took place on the morning of 3 September, when Varpakhovich was leaving a shop in the settlement of Probuzhdenie. An unknown man on a motorcycle pulled up to him at high speed and opened fire. The attacker fired two shots — into the face and the body of the general — and then immediately fled the scene. The injured man was urgently taken to a hospital in Saratov. As of the time of publication, the circumstances of the assassination attempt and the identity of the attacker have not been established. Russian law enforcement agencies, according to available information, have launched a manhunt for the shooter.

### Who is Nikolai Varpakhovich

According to the Telegram channel "Spy Dossier," the man wounded in Saratov Oblast is Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range aviation. Long-range aviation units of the Russian Aerospace Forces, including those equipped with Tu-95MS strategic bomber-carriers, are one of the key elements of Russia's nuclear triad and are responsible for delivering long-range cruise missile strikes. In a photo published in open sources, Varpakhovich is pictured in front of a Tu-95 bomber at a long-range aviation airfield.

### Link to the strike on Okhmatdet

On 31 August 2026, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General formally notified Varpakhovich of suspicion in absentia. According to the Ukrainian investigation, the general is implicated in the missile strike on the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kyiv, carried out on 8 July 2024. The long-range aviation units under Varpakhovich's command, as the investigation claims, launched an X-101 air-to-ground cruise missile from a Tu-95MS bomber-carrier. According to official data, the attack killed two people — a young doctor and the grandfather of one of the young patients. In addition, as the outlet ASTRA established, among the addresses associated with Varpakhovich is precisely the settlement of Probuzhdenie in the Engels district of Saratov Oblast — that is, the location of the assassination attempt matches one of his known addresses.

### Contradictory data

It is important to note that the fact of the attack itself is confirmed by pro-Kremlin media, however, the identification of the victim as Major General Varpakhovich is based on a post by the Telegram channel "Spy Dossier," and not on an official statement by the Russian Ministry of Defence or security services. The attacker's motive and identity have not been established as of the time of publication. Ukrainian media and analysts link the assassination attempt to the in-absentia indictment issued against Varpakhovich on 31 August, however, neither side has publicly confirmed this version. Thus, a direct causal link between the strike on Okhmatdet and the incident in Saratov Oblast remains presumptive, although the coincidence of the address and the timeline makes this version the most likely.

### Context: the strike on Okhmatdet and its aftermath

The missile strike on the Okhmatdet National Specialized Children's Hospital in Kyiv on 8 July 2024 became one of the most high-profile incidents of the conflict. In addition to the two killed, the attack injured numerous children and medical staff. As Ukrainian outlets remind, after the strike it became known of the death of a child who, at the time of the attack, was in intensive care in critical condition. The boy was transferred to another Kyiv hospital, but he could not be saved. The Ukrainian investigation classified the attack as a war crime and submitted requests to international bodies. The in-absentia indictment of Varpakhovich, issued on 31 August 2026, was, in effect, the first public step toward holding a specific long-range aviation commander accountable for this strike.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Revenge for Okhmatdet? A general charged by the SBU was shot in Russia](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/pomsta-ohmatdit-rosiyi-pidstrelili-generala-1788434871.html) - РБК-Украина подтверждает факт нападения и ссылается на Telegram-канал «Досье шпиона» для идентификации жертвы. Заголовок содержит вопросительный знак, указывая на предположительный характер связи с «Охматдетом».
- [Assassination attempt on a Russian general: who is Varpakhovich, wounded near Saratov?](https://my.ua/news/cluster/2026-09-03-pokushenie-na-generala-rf-kto-takoi-varpakhovich-ranenyi-pod-saratovom) - Украинское издание my.ua публикует кластерную статью с биографией Варпаховича и обстоятельствами нападения. Подтверждает дату, место и детали инцидента.
- [In Engels, an unknown man tried to kill an Aerospace Forces general](https://activatica.org/content/c6370c35-caf6-4b0d-a575-1ab05fbf7a74/v-engelse-neizvestnyy-pytalsya-zastrelit-generala-vks) - Подтверждает факт попытки убийства генерала ВКС в Энгельсском районе. Использует формулировку «пытался застрелить», что согласуется с тем, что генерал выжил.
- [A Russian general was attacked near his home](https://ru.axar.az/news/vmire/1125853.html) - Подтверждает нападение на российского генерала вблизи жилого помещения. Формулировка «возле дома» согласуется с версией выхода из магазина в посёлке Пробуждение.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who was injured in the attack in Saratov Oblast?
**A:** According to the Telegram channel "Spy Dossier," the one wounded was Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range aviation. No official confirmation of the victim's identity by the Russian side had been received as of the time of publication.

### Q: When and where did the assassination attempt take place?
**A:** On the morning of 3 September 2026, in the settlement of Probuzhdenie in the Engels district of Saratov Oblast. The general was leaving a shop when an unknown man on a motorcycle pulled up and fired two shots.

### Q: What is the link between the assassination attempt and the strike on Okhmatdet?
**A:** On 31 August 2026, the SBU and the Office of the Prosecutor General formally notified Varpakhovich of suspicion in absentia regarding his involvement in the missile strike on the Okhmatdet children's hospital in Kyiv on 8 July 2024. The location of the attack matches one of the general's addresses. However, the attacker's motive has not been officially established, and a direct link between the events remains presumptive.

### Q: What is General Varpakhovich's condition?
**A:** According to available information, Varpakhovich sustained wounds to his face and body and was hospitalized in Saratov in critical condition. Doctors are fighting for his life.

### Q: Has the attacker's identity been established?
**A:** No. As of the time of publication, the perpetrator's identity and his motive have not been established. Russian law enforcement agencies, according to available information, are conducting a manhunt.