Russian general injured in assassination attempt; Kyiv intel agencies in 'disgraceful' shootout

A Russian general, Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, was seriously injured in an assassination attempt on September 3, 2026, in Russia's Saratov Oblast. Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was reportedly shot in the torso and face by an assailant on a motorcycle, leaving him in critical condition. Ukraine had previously accused him of ordering a missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv in July 2024, an attack that resulted in three deaths and numerous injuries. Russian authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into the attempted murder.

Separately, a "disgraceful" internal shootout occurred in Kyiv on September 2, 2026, involving Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) and the State Security Service (SBU). At least three intelligence officers were wounded in the confrontation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the incident, emphasizing that gunfire should only be directed at Russian forces, and demanded a thorough investigation, subsequently dismissing a senior SBU official.

The clash reportedly stemmed from the SBU's detention of Stepan Kaplunov, a deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, which operates under HUR. While the SBU claimed its officers were attacked during an investigation into a Russian "terrorist act" plot, HUR accused the SBU of kidnapping Kaplunov and initiating the gunfire.