Putin’s general blown up after handling exploding mobile phone in assassination attempt by Ukraine Secret Service.
A Russian general faced severe injuries due to a detonating cellphone in a failed assassination effort by Ukraine’s Security Service, as reported by local sources.
Last Sunday, an explosion occurred at the residence of Major-General Yuri Afanasevskii, who had previously led the State Customs Committee of the Moscow-backed separatist-linked Luhansk People’s Republic.
He received a rigged phone that exploded upon activation, as confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee.
Afanasevskii suffered shrapnel injuries to his head, neck, and abdomen, as per sources from Ukraine’s Security Services to RBC-Ukraine.
The general’s 21-year-old son also suffered injuries and had three fingers amputated, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.
While Luhansk officials attempted to downplay Afanasevskii’s injuries, sources indicated that Ukraine’s secret service orchestrated the assassination attempt.
The Russian Investigative Committee arrested a woman for attempted murder, alleging she provided Afanasevskii with the explosive-laden cellphone.
Reports indicate that the female suspect admitted her involvement in the unsuccessful assassination plan, supposedly coordinated by Ukraine’s intelligence operatives.
Afanasevskii served in Russia’s formidable Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the KGB, and many believed he acted as a “financier” for Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk People’s Republic.
It was alleged that the FSB general had laundered money to support pro-Russian paramilitary groups in their conflict against Kyiv’s forces.
Implications for Eastern Ukraine and International Relations
The attempted assassination of General Afanasevskii, Putin’s general, highlights the complex and volatile nature of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. It emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive solution to the crisis, given its impact on the region and international relations.
The incident also prompts questions about the role of intelligence agencies in the conflict, including Putin’s general assassination attempt. Explosive devices disguised as everyday objects, like mobile phones, pose a security challenge, demanding heightened vigilance from security services.
As the investigation into Putin’s general assassination attempt unfolds, both Russia and Ukraine will be closely watched by the international community. The incident may worsen their fragile relationship and impact the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.