A shootout broke out between officers of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence. What is the reason?
In the Dnipro district of Kyiv, a shootout occurred between employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense. As a result of the armed clash, at least three military intelligence servicemen sustained gunshot wounds, with two of them in serious condition. The covert arrest of Stepan Kaplunov, the deputy commander of the "Russian Volunteer Corps," is being cited as the main reason for the internal conflict.
A shootout occurred between officers of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Directorate of Intelligence. What is the reason?
**The disappearance of Kaplunov**
The conflict began following the disappearance of Stepan Kaplunov, the deputy commander of the Ukrainian unit of the "Russian Volunteer Corps". He was taken away by unknown individuals from his courtyard in Kyiv on August 23. This situation raised serious legal questions, as the process was carried out without any procedural order: no detention protocol was drawn up, the participation of a lawyer and an interpreter was not ensured, and no official charges were brought against the suspect himself. For more than a week, Kaplunov's comrades and lawyer were not given clear information about his condition. Aleksandr Fortuna, the chief of staff of the "Russian Volunteer Corps" (RDK), also stated that he had sent official inquiries to several law enforcement agencies, but received no clear answer from any of them. Kaplunov, who was later released from detention, described the situation in an interview with Radio NV as follows.
"They pinned me to the ground and handcuffed me. In general, I more or less understand how investigative actions and arrest processes work. Usually, a suspect is told what charges are being brought under which articles. Here, they just shoved me into a black BMW. Frankly speaking, it was a kidnapping. After that, they took me away with my hands handcuffed and my eyes taped shut. I think it was some kind of special regime facility or, in other words, a secret prison. There, they placed me in a cell, and bound my hands with handcuffs and chains. For several days, my eyes were also kept closed at all times," he noted.
Later, sources in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that Kaplunov had been taken away on suspicion of possible ties to the Russian Federal Security Service.
**The shootout on Shumsky Street**
On the night of September 1 to September 2, an operational-investigative group of the Security Service of Ukraine secretly brought Stepan Kaplunov to his apartment to conduct a search. Somehow, information about this reached the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR). GUR officers and soldiers of the "Russian Volunteer Corps", who considered Kaplunov's detention to be a "kidnapping", quickly arrived at the scene. Although a mutual agreement was initially reached, the situation later got out of control. As a result of the shootout that occurred on the morning of September 2, at least three officers of the Intelligence Directorate were wounded. Two of them are reported to be in serious condition. Due to the shootout, the police closed several nearby streets. Photos from the scene show the wounded and bloodstains on the ground.