What happened, according to Boris German? Six months ago, German was contacted by an old acquaintance from Moscow who “works at a private Putin foundation, organizing unrest in Ukraine.” German reported this to Ukrainian counterintelligence, and was told to learn more about the flow of Russian money into Ukraine funding certain politicians and “terrorist groups.” When he was asked to arrange Babchenko’s murder, an “Anti-Terrorist Operation” veteran named Alexey Tsymbalyuk was chosen for the job because he is a former monk and would never kill an unarmed man. Ukrainian counterintelligence knew that Tsymbalyuk would “run straight to the National Security Agency” because “that’s what they were trained to do at the front.” Once this happened, counterintelligence knew Babchenko’s murder would be staged. After Babchenko’s death was reported, German received a list from his Russian contact with the names of another 30 targets, which he handed over to Ukrainian counterintelligence. All these actions were documented. The operation was a secret because there are many “moles” in Ukraine’s National Security Agency who leak information to Russia.
Meduza: Spies, killer monks, and ‘Putin’s private foundation’ awhirl in journalist staged killing
Anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko (L) is welcomed by his colleagues as he arrives at his workplace, ATR TV channel, on May 31, 2018 in Kiev a day following his shock reappearance after Ukrainian authorities said he had been shot dead.In an operation that blindsided the world's media, Babchenko made a shock reappearance at a press conference in Kiev on May 31, less than 24 hours after the Ukrainian authorities reported he had been shot dead at his home in a contract-style killing blamed on Russia. / AFP PHOTO / Genya SAVILOV
