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June 23, 2025 – Ukraine/Russia –
In a chilling revelation, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced that it had foiled two assassination attempts on prominent Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon, both allegedly orchestrated by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The plots were reportedly ordered at the highest levels of the Russian state, with SBU officials claiming direct authorization from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The first attempt involved a criminal group from Dagestan, recruited and directed by the FSB to infiltrate Ukraine and eliminate Gordon. The operatives were reportedly promised a reward of $400,000 for successfully carrying out the hit. The second plot was allegedly coordinated by a former Ukrainian Member of Parliament, Vitaliy Hrushevsky, who acted as a middleman between Russian handlers and local operatives in Kyiv.
SBU counterintelligence agents uncovered both plots during a sustained operation. Surveillance efforts revealed that the assailants had tracked Gordon’s movements using disguised vehicles, including taxis, and had begun reconnaissance near his residence. One of the suspects, posing as an asylum seeker, was sent to Kyiv to recruit assassins and plan the logistics of the attack. Plans included using a firearm, ditching the weapon post-assassination, and fleeing on a motorcycle.
Gordon, a high-profile journalist and YouTube media figure with millions of followers, has been a vocal critic of the Kremlin and an ardent supporter of Ukraine’s sovereignty. He has also donated surveillance drones to the Ukrainian military, further drawing the ire of Russian authorities. Russian state media have repeatedly targeted him, portraying him as an enemy of the state.
The SBU has arrested key suspects involved in both assassination plans and is continuing investigations into the broader network of collaborators. Officials emphasized that the plots reflect a wider Russian campaign to silence influential Ukrainian voices through targeted violence.
These foiled assassination attempts highlight the growing risks faced by journalists in wartime Ukraine. They also underscore the critical role of Ukraine’s security services in protecting press freedom and resisting Russian efforts to destabilize the country from within. Dmytro Gordon has since reaffirmed his commitment to reporting and public advocacy, undeterred by the threats to his life.
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