A shooting incident between Ukrainian security agencies in Kyiv, amid the ongoing war with Russia, has resulted in three injuries.
On September 2, clashes erupted between agents of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and officials from the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) in the Dniprovskiy district of Kyiv, according to reports from the Financial Times and Ukrainska Pravda.
Three individuals affiliated with HUR were reported injured. Footage from the scene showed both sides in a standoff, engaging in a physical altercation before multiple gunshots were heard. It remains unclear who fired first.
The incident reportedly stemmed from an investigation involving Stepan Kaplunov, the combat deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), which fights alongside Ukraine against Russia. The RVC claimed that Kaplunov was abducted by unidentified individuals near his home on September 1. This led to a standoff between SBU and HUR officials regarding his whereabouts.
The SBU stated that the incident occurred during an investigation into a terrorist plot prepared by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) against Russian opposition figures visiting Ukraine. The SBU explained that while conducting a search at a location, a group launched an armed attack and obstructed the movement of the investigative team with vehicles, prompting the deployment of the special forces unit 'Alpha,' which used firearms.
According to the SBU, some individuals were injured during the resistance, and those arrested at the scene were confirmed to be members of the Ukrainian military. Weapons and documents were also seized from them. An investigation is currently underway regarding threats to law enforcement and endangerment of lives.
Conversely, HUR officials have presented a different narrative. They claim that Kaplunov was detained without due process, and the shooting occurred when SBU personnel attempted to subdue HUR officials present at the scene. HUR representatives also asserted that their agents were unarmed at the time of the shooting.
Following the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as “absolutely shameful,” involving some units of the SBU and HUR in Kyiv. He emphasized that the only targets for gunfire in Ukraine should be the Russian occupying forces and instructed for a clear explanation of the incident to be provided to the public.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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