GUR and SBU shootout in Kyiv: one killed, two wounded

An armed clash between employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Security Service of Ukraine took place on Yuriy Shumsky Street in Kyiv.

According to sources from the publication Strana within Ukrainian security services, three GUR employees were hurt as a result of the conflict — one was killed and two were wounded.

According to the source, the incident was triggered by the abduction of one of the RDK commanders, a man named Kaplunov. Unknown individuals brought him to Shumska Street, after which GUR special forces arrived to detain the abductors. It emerged, however, that the “unknown individuals” were SBU special forces operatives.

“The unknown individuals who abducted RDK commander Kaplunov brought him to Shumska Street. GUR special forces arrived and attempted to detain the unknowns. But those unknowns turned out to be SBU special forces. Commanders of the relevant SBU and GUR units arrived on the scene, shook hands, and things seemed to calm down. But then other SBU representatives arrived and began detaining GUR employees. A new shootout broke out. There are wounded. The situation is still developing,” the source said.

The conflict unfolded in two stages. First, commanders from both agencies’ units arrived on the scene, exchanged handshakes, and the situation, according to the source, appeared to normalize. Then, however, other SBU representatives arrived and proceeded to detain GUR employees, which triggered a new shootout.

The source was unable to identify the real reason for the conflict or the real reason for Kaplunov’s detention, but suggested that what happened may be connected to a turf war between the security services over the racketeering of fraudulent call centers, known in professional circles as “offices.”

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations arrived at the scene of the incident. Police blocked traffic on Yuriy Shumsky Street in both directions. The Kyiv City State Administration reported that public transport in the area was operating with changes to its routes. Local media published footage from the scene of the shootout.

The situation surrounding fraudulent call centers in Ukraine has recently intensified: President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a bill to combat them to the Verkhovna Rada.