Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has accused Ukraine of orchestrating an alleged assassination attempt on Metropolitan Tikhon (Georgy Shevkunov), the spiritual advisor to President Vladimir Putin, claiming it was intended to “disrupt peace negotiations between Russia and the United States.”
According to a statement released by the FSB’s Public Relations Center, Russian investigators carried out searches and interrogations on Wednesday, Nov. 11 in Moscow, Pskov region, and Crimea as part of a criminal case opened in February 2025.
The FSB alleges that Tikhon’s aide, Denis Popovich, and cleric, Nikita Ivankovich, were instructed by Ukrainian intelligence to plant an improvised explosive device (IED) on the grounds of the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow.
“The Kyiv regime expected that, if the attack succeeded, the Russian side would be forced to abandon peace [sic] negotiations,” the statement reads.
The service did not provide evidence to support its claims or explain the alleged link between the supposed attack and any Russia-US talks.
Russian media describe Tikhon as Putin’s long-time spiritual mentor, though the Metropolitan himself previously said Putin only “consults” with him.
Commenting on the FSB statement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS that Russia had not discussed the alleged assassination attempt with the United States “in the context mentioned by the FSB.”
At the time of publication, Ukrainian authorities had not issued any comments regarding the FSB allegations.
The United States has frozen rapprochement talks with Russia on easing tensions and restoring full diplomatic relations, officials from the US Embassy in Moscow told Russian media, marking another setback in bilateral communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to the report, the second and so far final round of consultations between Washington and Moscow took place in Istanbul on April 10, more than six months ago.
Since then, no new meetings have been scheduled to discuss the so-called “irritants” in the relationship – a term used by both sides to describe disputes over diplomatic missions, property seizures, and suspended flight connections.
Plans for a third meeting were repeatedly postponed. Russian Ambassador to Washington Aleksandr Darchiev had said in June that another round would take place “in the near future,” but Moscow later confirmed the consultations were canceled at the initiative of the US side.