The deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps denies allegations of ties with the FSB and claims he was forced to admit to deeds he did not commit. Meanwhile, the SBU maintains that it has discovered contacts with Russian services during an investigation into an alleged assassination plot, reports kyivindependent.com.
The conflict between the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense (GUR) is escalating, a day after a confrontation between members of the two structures turned into a gunfire exchange in Kiev.
Three members of the GUR were injured in the incident, and several people were temporarily detained.
At the center of the dispute is Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a formation operating under the coordination of the GUR.
Kaplunov rejects the SBU accusations
Kaplunov denied on Thursday the accusations according to which he would have had contacts with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and would have been involved in preparing some assassinations.
In a post published on social networks, he claimed that he acknowledged these contacts after nine days of detention, under conditions of psychological pressure and threats.
Earlier that day, the SBU had stated that it identified the contacts of a “targeted individual” with Russian services during an investigation into an alleged attack organized by the FSB during the celebration of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
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