Russia announced on Monday that it has foiled a plot to assassinate a businessman in the media prepared by a far-right group backed by Ukrainian intelligence, according to Moscow.
The Federal Security Service of Russia said in a statement that he thwarted a Ukrainian intelligence-orchestrated attack on Konstantin Malovichev, chairman of the board of directors of the Tsargrad group.
He added that the assassination plan was prepared by Denis Kapustin, whom he described as the founder of a group of “saboteurs” who claimed responsibility for the socialwork for a raid last week in a Russian border region with Ukraine.
Russia’s Federal Security Service has confirmed that Kapustin is a Russian far-right activist born in 1984 and “resides on Ukrainian soil and works under the supervision of the Security Service of Ukraine”, the official name of the Ukrainian intelligence service.
Russian security has opened an investigation against the activist on charges of “assault”, “involvement in terrorist activities” and “smuggling of explosives”.
Interestingly, Konstantin Malovichev, a billionaire, has been subject to European and American sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014, due to its annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
He is the founder of the “Tsargrad” group, which mainly includes a national and conservative TV channel.
According to the statement of the Russian Federal Security Service, the attack was to be carried out by planting an explosive device in theauto by Malovichev.
Last August, Russian security accused Ukrainian intelligence of using this method to assassinate Daria Dugina, daughter of ideologist Alexander Dugin, known for his proximity to the Kremlin.
Russia’s Federal Security Service also accused Kapustin of organizing and participating last Thursday in an “infiltration” in the Bryansk region (southwest) bordering Ukraine, which killed two people and injured a child, according to Russian authorities.
The Ukrainian presidency has denied these allegations and considered them a “deliberate provocation”, according to which it aims to justify the Russian military attack in Ukraine.
You must log in to post a comment.