A high-ranking Russian military officer accused of ordering a missile strike on Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt children’s hospital has been shot in an assassination attempt in Russia. Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of Russia’s 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was reportedly injured in the attack on Thursday.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed it opened an investigation into the attempted murder of a military service member in the city of Engels, Saratov region. Local reports and Russian Telegram channels identified the victim as Varpakhovich, who was shot multiple times while at his private residence in the village of Probuzhdeniye. He was transported to Moscow for medical treatment in critical condition.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Prosecutor General’s Office formally charged Varpakhovich with war crimes three days prior, accusing him of ordering the July 8, 2024, strike on the children’s hospital. The attack killed two people, including a child, and injured dozens more. The hospital sustained significant damage, including to intensive care, oncology, and surgical units. Some patients, including those undergoing heart surgery, were still present when the missile struck.
Varpakhovich’s division operates Russia’s long-range bombers, including Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft, which launch cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets. He has been sanctioned by the European Union and multiple countries over his role in the 2024 strikes. The SBU alleges his command was responsible for additional attacks, including an April 2022 strike on an Odesa apartment building that killed eight people, including a three-month-old infant.
Russian authorities have not commented on the incident, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Investigative Committee described the shooting as an attempted murder of a military service member but did not specify the motive or suspects.