The suspected assassination deepens the conflict’s expanding shadow war inside Russia.
SARATOV REGION, RUSSIA
A senior officer in Russia’s Aerospace Forces was seriously wounded after an unidentified attacker opened fire in the village of Probuzhdeniye, near the strategically important city of Engels. According to Russian media citing law-enforcement sources, the gunman approached on a motorcycle, fired twice and escaped before authorities could make an arrest.
The victim was struck in the face and torso and transferred to Moscow for specialized treatment after receiving emergency care. His driver was also reportedly wounded but managed to seek assistance. Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation into the attempted killing, although they had not officially disclosed the officer’s identity at the time of the initial reports.
Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainian sources identified the possible target as Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of Russia’s 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division. That identification had not been formally confirmed by Moscow. The division operates strategic aircraft associated with the Engels-2 airbase, a central component of Russia’s long-range bombing capability.
Ukraine’s Security Service recently accused Varpakhovich in absentia of ordering the missile strike against Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in July 2024. Ukrainian investigators allege that forces under his command launched a Kh-101 cruise missile from a Tu-95MS strategic bomber. The attack killed two people, injured more than 30, including nine children, and damaged hospital facilities where hundreds of young patients were receiving treatment. Those allegations constitute Ukraine’s investigative findings and have not been adjudicated in an independent international court.
No organization has claimed responsibility for the shooting, and Ukrainian authorities have not acknowledged involvement. The attack nevertheless follows a series of killings and attempted assassinations targeting Russian military personnel associated with the war. Such operations expose vulnerabilities far from the front line while creating risks of retaliation and further escalation. Until investigators confirm the victim’s identity and identify the assailant, responsibility for the attack remains unresolved.
Hechos que no se doblan. / Facts that do not bend.