In a stunning intelligence operation, Ukraine has revealed it faked the death of a prominent Russian commander fighting on its side, thwarting a Kremlin-ordered assassination and pocketing the reward money.
The Elaborate Ruse to Save a Commander
Ukrainian military intelligence, the GUR, announced on Thursday that it had staged the killing of Denis Kapustin, also known as Denis Nikitin. Kapustin is the Moscow-born leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps and the affiliated 'Timur Special Unit', both of which oppose the Kremlin and fight alongside Ukrainian forces.
The unit itself had announced Kapustin's death on the frontline just days earlier, on Saturday. However, on Thursday, Kapustin appeared very much alive via video link at a briefing with the head of the GUR, Kyrylo Budanov.
"First of all, Mr Denis, I congratulate you on returning to life. This is always a pleasure," Budanov said in a video posted online. "I’m glad that the funds received from ordering your liquidation went to help our fight."
Unmasking the Plot and Claiming the Bounty
The GUR and the Timur unit stated that the elaborate deception was necessary to protect Kapustin and identify those involved in a genuine Russian plot. They alleged that Russian special services had ordered the assassination, allocating $500,000 to carry it out.
"As a result of a comprehensive special operation [his life] was preserved, and the circle of individuals was identified: the masterminds within the Russian special services and the perpetrators," the intelligence service declared.
In a bold twist, the Ukrainian side confirmed it had successfully claimed the bounty. "Our side also received a corresponding amount of funds allocated by Russian intelligence agencies for the implementation of this crime," the Timur unit announced.
Wider Context: Drone Strikes and Civilian Accusations
The revelation came amid continued hostilities. Overnight into Thursday, Ukrainian drones struck energy and industrial targets in several Russian regions, according to local officials.
Fires were reported at the Ilskiy oil refinery in Krasnodar, an energy storage facility in Almetyevsk, Tatarstan, and an industrial site in Lyudinovo, Kaluga. The Ukrainian military confirmed strikes on the Krasnodar and Tatarstan facilities.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations of targeting civilians over the New Year period. Moscow reported a deadly strike on a hotel in occupied southern Ukraine, while Kyiv insisted it strictly targets only military and energy infrastructure.
In the Kherson region, Ukrainian governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one man was killed and an 87-year-old woman injured in attacks on the city on Thursday. Ukrainian deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba also reported that rail facilities in three regions had been attacked.
Kapustin, according to reports, has a controversial background linked to far-right activism and football hooliganism, with some fighters in his unit having expressed neo-Nazi views.
