Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defence (HUR) is a special intelligence body within the Ukrainian Armed Forces, subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. It has been headed by Kyrylo Budanov since 2020. The agency is known for conducting special operations abroad — including strikes on Russian military and infrastructure targets — as well as for supporting partisan activity in occupied territories.
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Assassination attempt on senior Russian bomber commander near Engels airbase
An unknown assailant on a motorcycle shot and critically wounded an officer of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the settlement of Probuzhdeniye, Engels district, Saratov Oblast, on the morning of 3 September 2026. Russian media identified the victim as Major General Mykola Varpakhovych, commander of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division. The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case on attempted murder and illegal arms trafficking charges. President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the attempt in his evening address.
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Armed clash between SBU and military intelligence erupts in Kyiv during search tied to Russian Volunteer Corps figure
An armed confrontation between officers of Ukraine's SBU and HUR military intelligence broke out overnight on September 2, 2026, in Kyiv's Berezniaky neighborhood, leaving three HUR servicemen wounded. The incident, linked to the case of RDK deputy combat commander Stepan Kaplunov, has prompted President Zelensky to demand explanations and dismiss a senior SBU official.