Zelenskyy 'Furious' After Shootout Between Ukrainian Spy Services in Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed strong condemnation following a reported shootout between the country's own intelligence services in Kyiv on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The incident, which Zelenskyy labeled "absolutely disgraceful," involved officers from the domestic security service (SBU) and the military intelligence directorate (HUR) in the capital's Dniprovskyi district. At least three officers were reportedly wounded in the clash.

The confrontation appears to have stemmed from the SBU's detention of Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a unit that fights for Ukraine under the supervision of the HUR. Conflicting accounts have emerged, with some reports suggesting the SBU was investigating a Russian-backed terrorist plot and was attacked by a group from the Defense Forces, while others claim SBU officers opened fire on unarmed HUR officers who were attempting to intervene in Kaplunov's alleged "kidnapping."

In response to the internal conflict, President Zelenskyy emphasized that "shooting here in Ukraine is permissible only at Russian occupiers" and demanded a thorough investigation by the Prosecutor General's Office and the State Bureau of Investigation. He also took immediate action by dismissing a senior SBU officer, signaling a firm stance against such inter-agency violence.