Russian authorities have arrested seven members of a group that attempted to assassinate two prominent domestic journalists and have pointed to Ukraine as being behind the plot.
Major foreign media outlets, citing local sources including TASS news agency, reported that on the 15th (local time), a Moscow court approved the authorities' request to extend the detention period of two adults and five minors arrested on charges including violent acts until September 14.
Russia announced on the 15th (local time) that it has arrested seven people who attempted to assassinate two domestic journalists. The assassination targets are Ksenia Sobchak (left) and Margarita Simonyan. [Photo by AP/Yonhap News]
Earlier, the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia's intelligence agency, arrested the group on the 14th as they were scouting around the homes and workplaces of two female journalists: Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state-run RT broadcaster, and Ksenia Sobchak, who is active as a TV anchor and actress.
Sobchak is a prominent socialite and broadcaster representing Russia and is the daughter of Anatoly Sobchak, known as the political mentor of President Vladimir Putin. She also ran as the first female presidential candidate in 2018.
At that time, Sobchak sparked controversy by asserting that the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, still belongs to Ukraine. Last year, she voiced opposition to the war and fled abroad to escape a raid by Russian police.
Regarding this, an FSB official told Interfax news agency, "The suspects admitted to preparing attacks on the two female journalists on behalf of Ukraine," adding, "They were promised a bounty of 1.5 million rubles (approximately 21.17 million KRW) per journalist."
Major foreign media also explained that Ukraine did not immediately respond to the allegations.
Ukraine denies involvement in a series of assassination incidents targeting Russian war supporters during the war period.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russia Today (RT), who is mentioned as the forefront of Putin's propaganda, explained the incident via a Telegram message and urged the continued efforts of security agencies.
Margarita Simonyan receiving a bouquet from President Putin at the Kremlin in 2019 [Photo by EPA/ Yonhap News]
On the other hand, Sobchak said, "If the assassination plot is true, I thank all the authorities involved in this matter," but also pointed out, "However, if this is not true and is just an attempt to link me and Simonyan in one sentence, then this is just another disgusting incident."
This statement is interpreted as considering the possibility that the assassination attempt itself was fabricated with a specific intent.
Previously, last year, when Dugin's daughter Duginа, the political philosopher known as Putin's spiritual mentor, died in a suspicious car explosion, Russian authorities mentioned the possibility of Ukraine being behind it.
In response, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office strongly denied assassination involvement allegations in a TV commentary, saying, "We are not a criminal or terrorist state like Russia," and "We have nothing to do with this incident."
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