Russia Alleges Foiled Ukrainian Plot to Assassinate Putin-Linked Orthodox Priest

The FSB claims two men, including a cleric, were arrested for planning to kill Tikhon Shevkunov, a senior bishop and longtime acquaintance of Vladimir Putin.

• Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced it thwarted an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate Tikhon Shevkunov, a senior bishop in the Russian Orthodox Church and a figure with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.
• Two suspects, identified as Denis Popovich, Shevkunov’s assistant, and Nikita Ivankovich, a Russian cleric, were arrested in Moscow for their alleged involvement in the plot.
• The FSB claims the suspects were recruited by Ukraine's military intelligence through Telegram and were provided with an improvised explosive device to carry out the attack.
• The alleged plan involved planting explosives in the living quarters of Moscow's Sretensky Monastery, where Shevkunov was previously superior, during one of his visits.
• Kyiv has not commented on the allegations, which follow a pattern of Russia attributing several high-profile assassinations to Ukrainian intelligence since the start of the war in 2022.

5 Articles

Newsweek The Independent The Times