A serious armed incident took place in Kiev, where it happened conflict between members of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and people connected to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR). According to available information, three members of the GUR were injured in the shooting.
The incident took place on the night between September 1 and 2 in the Bereznyaki neighborhood, in the Dnipro district of Kyiv, on Yuri Shumsky Street. Ukrainian media reports that the conflict occurred during an SBU operation, while the circumstances leading up to the shooting are still being investigated.
SBU: Our operatives were attacked
According to the version of the Security Service of Ukraine, its members were conducting urgent investigative actions as part of the investigation into a terrorist act suspected to have been organized by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
The SBU announced that during the search, a group of people blocked the movement of the vehicle and carried out an armed attack on the investigation team. The special unit "Alfa" was then sent to the scene, whose members used weapons.
The SBU stated that several people were injured, and that persons belonging to one of the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces were arrested. This version of the event was published in the press releases of the SBU, while the service initially did not directly state that it was about members of the GUR.
Ukrainian media: GUR participated in the conflict
The Ukrainian media, including "Ukrainian Pravda", "NV" and "Kiev Post", announced that members of the SBU and GUR participated in the incident.
"Ukrainian Pravda", referring to its sources, announced that members of both services participated in the conflict. Lawyer Taras Borovsky, who represents Stepan Kaplunov, the deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps in charge of combat issues, said that three members of the military intelligence service were injured.
According to that information, two of the injured were in a serious condition in the hospital, while one suffered minor injuries.
And the "Wall Street Journal" announced that the special unit of the SBU, as well as members of the special forces under the control of the GUR, participated in the shooting. The newspaper states that three members of the military intelligence service were wounded in the exchange of fire.
The case related to the disappearance of the commander
According to several Ukrainian and Western media, the incident could be linked to Stepan Kaplunov, a member of the Russian Volunteer Corps who operates with the support of the Ukrainian military intelligence service.
The "Kiev Post" states that the case relates to the disappearance of Kaplunov, while the "Financial Times" writes that the conflict broke out after the SBU arrested Kaplunov, that is, during an attempt to search a facility where people connected to the GUR were located.
The details of this part of the case have not yet been officially confirmed by all the institutions involved.
The State Bureau of Investigation also arrived at the scene
After the shooting, members of the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), the Prosecutor's Office and the special unit "Alfa" of the SBU arrived at the scene.
The Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into threats and attempts to endanger the lives of law enforcement officers. Investigators need to determine what preceded the shooting, who used the weapon and under what circumstances, as well as the responsibility of each of the participants.
Zelensky: "Absolutely shameful"
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, reacted sharply to the incident and demanded that all the circumstances of the conflict be determined.
As reported by the "Financial Times", Zelensky described the event as "absolutely shameful" and said that weapons in Ukraine must not be used in confrontations between Ukrainian institutions.
Zelensky demanded an investigation and accountability of the managers of both services, including possible personnel decisions against the people involved in the incident.
The "Wall Street Journal" estimates that the shooting further laid bare the rivalry between the two powerful Ukrainian security and intelligence structures, which gained great influence and resources during the war.
For now, it is not completely clear who opened fire first, nor why the SBU operation turned into an armed conflict with members of the Ukrainian defense forces.
The investigation led by Ukrainian institutions should provide answers to key questions about the incident.
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