{
  "id": 5087116,
  "title": "Ukraine Claims It Foiled FSB Plot Against Anti-Kremlin Figure Amid Shootout in Kyiv",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ukraine-claims-it-foiled-fsb-plot-against-anti-kremlin-figure-amid",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T12:45:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Moscow Times",
    "slug": "the-moscow-times",
    "url": "https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/09/02/ukraine-claims-it-foiled-fsb-plot-against-anti-kremlin-figure-amid-shootout-in-kyiv-a93623"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have thwarted a plot allegedly orchestrated by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to assassinate a prominent anti-Kremlin opposition leader in Kyiv. Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps’ combat operations, was targeted. Kaplunov had reportedly been abducted from his home earlier in the week. Ukrainian security services reported that an armed group attempted to carry out the attack on their investigators while they were searching a suspect’s residence. In response, the SBU's special forces engaged the attackers, resulting in injuries to several assailants. The SBU later identified the attackers as members of one of Ukraine’s armed forces units. The investigation into the attempted murder of law enforcement officials is ongoing. Ukraine’s SBU declined to disclose the identity of the targeted Russian opposition figure. This incident unfolded amid reports of a shootout between SBU officers and members of Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky admonished both agencies for initially remaining silent about the alleged clash. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's communications adviser, Dmytro Litvin, emphasized the need for transparency and communication regarding the incident. Russia's FSB has not commented on Ukraine's allegations. In response to the incident, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an undesirable organization, effectively criminalizing its operations and putting its staff at risk of prosecution. This move follows the previous classification of The Moscow Times as a foreign agent. The foreign reporting outlet maintains that its work aims to provide unbiased and accurate reporting on Russia, rejecting the accusations that it discredits the Russian leadership. The Moscow Times calls upon readers to support its work, requesting financial contributions to aid in covering the costs of its independent journalism endeavors.",
  "summary": "Ukrainian media reported that the target of the assassination attempt was Stepan Kaplunov, a member of the Russian Volunteer Corps.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Russian advances in Ukraine ground to a near-halt in August as casualties surged",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/russian-advances-in-ukraine-ground-to-a-near-halt-in-august-as",
        "published": "2026-09-02T10:38:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "Ukraine’s Security Service says it foiled FSB plot to assassinate Russian opposition leader in Kyiv – several wounded in street shootout",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ukraines-security-service-says-it-foiled-fsb-plot-to-assassinate",
        "published": "2026-09-02T11:03:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}