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SBU says its officers were attacked during FSB-terror probe in Kyiv; attackers found to be members of Ukraine's Defense Forces

Updated 2 September 2026

Ukraine's SBU security service says its operational-investigative group was attacked during a search in a case involving an FSB-planned terrorist act against a Russian opposition figure in Kyiv. The SBU's Alpha special unit opened fire on the attackers, some of whom were wounded before being detained. The SBU later said the detained individuals belonged to a unit of Ukraine's Defense Forces. Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said the State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Prosecutor General are handling the situation.

Why it matters

The incident is significant because it involved an armed confrontation between units of Ukraine's own security and defense apparatus during a sensitive counter-terror operation. It is linked to a reported plot by Russia's FSB to assassinate a Russian opposition figure on Ukrainian territory. It also raises questions about coordination and oversight among Ukraine's SBU, the GUR military intelligence, and other Defense Forces units.

What happened

According to the SBU, during a search in a case concerning an FSB-planned terrorist act against a leader of a Russian opposition national movement who had arrived in Ukraine for Independence Day, a group of people attacked the SBU's operational-investigative team, blocking the officers' passage with vehicles. The SBU's Alpha special operations unit was called in and used weapons against the attackers. Some of those resisting were wounded, and the attackers were subsequently detained. The SBU said the detained individuals belonged to one of the units of Ukraine's Defense Forces, and that weapons and documents were seized from them. The Office of the Prosecutor General opened a pre-trial investigation into threats and an attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer. Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said the situation is being handled by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Prosecutor General, and stated that "no one has the right to abduct servicemen with impunity, open fire in the streets of our cities, or issue and carry out criminal orders." On 28 August, a Telegram channel associated with the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), a unit of Ukraine's Defense Forces subordinated to the GUR, reported the disappearance of the corps' deputy commander for combat operations, Stepan Kaplanov. On 2 September, National Police closed off Shumska Street in Kyiv's Dnipro district. According to Ukrainska Pravda, the shootout in Kyiv is connected to Kaplanov's disappearance. A law enforcement source told LIGA.net that the leader of the Russian opposition movement targeted in the alleged terrorist plot was Stepan Kaplanov.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

Ukrainian outlets foreground the SBU's official narrative that its officers were attacked while conducting a search in an FSB-terror case. They highlight the political weight of the case by stressing that the alleged target was a leader of a Russian opposition national movement visiting Ukraine for Independence Day. They prominently quote Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov emphasizing that no one has the right to abduct servicemen or open fire in Ukrainian cities. Several outlets note that the attackers turned out to belong to a unit of Ukraine's Defense Forces, while also reporting — without official confirmation — that media and Telegram channels described the incident as a clash between SBU and GUR.

Where reporting differs

The SBU's official account frames the incident as an armed attack by unidentified persons on its officers during a search, while media and Telegram channels reported it as a shootout between SBU and GUR personnel. Kaplanov's lawyer stated that law enforcement came to plant prohibited items at the fighter's home and that comrades arrived afterwards, with shooting breaking out on the street; he also said the conflict was between GUR and SBU staff. One reported version holds that Kaplanov's abduction was staged by GUR as part of a special operation to protect him and expose an FSB agent network; this framing has not been officially confirmed.

Background

The SBU, jointly with the GUR of the Ministry of Defense, had previously prevented an FSB-planned terrorist act against a leader of a Russian opposition national movement who had arrived in Ukraine for Independence Day. The Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), described in reporting as a unit of Ukraine's Defense Forces subordinated to GUR, was formed in 2022 by figures from Russia's far-right movement. On 28 August, a Telegram channel associated with the RDK reported the disappearance of the corps' deputy commander for combat operations, Stepan Kaplanov.

Sources