A gunfight between Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and military intelligence (HUR) left three HUR officers wounded in a Kyiv residential neighborhood early Wednesday, following a dispute over the detention of Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC). The incident began after SBU officers attempted to search an apartment linked to Kaplunov’s unit, prompting armed resistance from RVC members and a prolonged standoff that escalated into gunfire.
Core developments
- Three HUR officers were wounded during the confrontation, which lasted through the night and resumed the following morning.
- SBU detained Kaplunov on undisclosed charges, with both agencies providing conflicting accounts of the operation’s purpose.
Official accounts diverge
The SBU stated its officers were executing urgent searches tied to an alleged Russian terrorist plot targeting a Russian opposition figure in Kyiv. According to the SBU, a group of armed men attempted to obstruct the investigation, leading to a firefight in which some attackers were injured. The agency confirmed the detained individuals belonged to a Ukrainian defense formation, later identified as part of HUR.
HUR’s perspective
Sources within HUR described the incident as an attempt by SBU to recover Kaplunov, who was in SBU custody. The detained commander is a deputy in the Russian Volunteer Corps, a unit of Russian citizens fighting alongside Ukraine. HUR personnel reportedly summoned reinforcements to prevent the SBU search, leading to a prolonged standoff that ended in gunfire around 11 p.m. Wednesday and resumed the next morning.
Context and background
The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) issued a statement via Telegram, identifying Kaplunov as a target of the alleged Russian plot. Ukrainian officials had previously announced a joint SBU-HUR operation to thwart a Russian assassination plot against a Russian opposition leader in Kyiv. The SBU’s Alpha special-forces unit was deployed during the operation, according to its account.
Investigation and aftermath
Footage shared on social media showed armed individuals in a standoff, with rapid gunfire heard in the area. Paramedics were seen attending to at least two injured men at the scene. The area was cordoned off as investigators arrived. Presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn later confirmed the detained men were part of HUR, though no further details on their identities or charges were released.
Broader implications
An intelligence source described the violence as evidence of a wider breakdown within Ukraine’s security apparatus, stating, “It is chaos, complete chaos.” The SBU and HUR have not publicly addressed the underlying tensions fueling the dispute, and no timeline for resolution has been provided.