SBU and GUR thwarted an FSB terror plot against a Russian opposition figure in Ukraine: sources say the target was RDK deputy commander Stepan Kaplunov

The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence, announced the prevention of a terror attack whose preparation, according to Kyiv, was being carried out by Russia's Federal Security Service. The target of the attack, as the SBU stated, was to be one of the leaders of the Russian political opposition national movement who was on Ukrainian territory. An investigation has already been opened over the preparation of the assassination attempt, and operational-investigative measures are underway.

Course of the operation and the role of the agencies

According to the official wording, the neutralization of the threat was carried out by two law-enforcement bodies at once — the SBU and the GUR of the Ministry of Defence. The statement emphasizes that the threat was detected at the preparation stage and was not carried out. Specific details of the methodology — the method of infiltration, the communication channel with the perpetrators, the location of the planned attack — are not disclosed in the public message. This is typical practice for counterintelligence operations, where publicizing details could compromise sources and methods of work.

Who was the target

The SBU does not publicly name the Russian opposition figure against whom the terror attack was being prepared. However, according to sources from RBC-Ukraine, the person in question is Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK). According to the same data, he arrived in Ukraine in connection with the celebration of Independence Day. Recently, media reported that Kaplunov had been abducted from his own home a few days earlier, after which the RDK headquarters had no information about his whereabouts. RDK chief of staff Alexander Fortuna confirmed that, after Kaplunov's disappearance, representatives of the group had contacted the GUR, the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigation.

Contradictory data

There are notable discrepancies between the official SBU statement and the data from the sources. First, the agency does not publicly confirm the identity of the target, whereas RBC-Ukraine names Stepan Kaplunov — this means that the key fact rests on a single source. Second, there is an inconsistency in the chronology and status of the subject: on the one hand, it is reported that the opposition figure "arrived in Ukraine" and is in the country, while on the other, that he was "abducted from his home" and the RDK headquarters does not know where he is. It is officially unclear whether Kaplunov is currently detained, handed over, or an active figure, and whether the "abduction" incident coincides with the thwarted terror attack. These contradictions require additional verification.

Context and investigative measures

The prevention of an assassination attempt on a Russian opposition figure on Ukrainian territory fits into the broader context of the confrontation between the intelligence services of the two countries over figures linked to volunteer and opposition structures. Over the preparation of the terror attack, as the SBU stated, operational-investigative measures are already underway, which usually involves identifying the perpetrators, funding channels and possible accomplices. For now, neither the detained individuals, nor physical evidence, nor the exact date and location of the planned attack have been made public.