UPDATED: "Russian Opposition Journalist's Murder Was Staged" - SBU

30 May 2018 17:36

Russian opposition journalist Arkady Babchenko, earlier confirmed dead by the Ukrainian police, is actually alive.

Russian opposition journalist Arkady Babchenko, earlier confirmed dead by the Ukrainian police, is actually alive. According to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), this was a sting operation.

Head of SBU Vasyl Hrytsak says that Russian government had spent $40,000 to hire a Ukrainian citizen to carry out the assassination. Hrytsak adds that the organizer of the murder has been detained.

"Why did we not tell you last night? Because SBU investigators and operatives had done a great load of work. The investigative and operative actions are still in process. Three hours ago, the organizer of the assassination was detained in Kyiv... A series of searches at his home address, as well as his temporary address, is being carried out," Hrytsak said during the press briefing today.

Hrytsak adds that the organizer was meant to flee to Russia after the assassination and even had a ticket. Babchenko – who was also present at the press briefing – said that the supposed perpetrator had three weeks to do the job.

"They kept pushing for it to be done [faster]... We had to back off a little, pretend that I broke my leg... which I didn't, by the way," the Russian journalist said. "It wasn't meant to happen last night. It was by chance."

"I'm still alive. I won't give them the pleasure," Babchenko said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has now ordered for security staff to be provided for the journalist.

"Well done to the SBU on the flawless operation to save Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko's life," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter today. "Ukrainian law enforcement bodies are getting stronger every day in countering Russian aggression."