RT
and Sott.net
It didn't take long for the story of a brave operation to prevent a Russian assassination in Kiev by faking a journalist's death to start unravelling and revealing a crude publicity stunt.
On Wednesday, Ukraine's national security service SBU shocked the world by revealing that it had staged the murder of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko. The service claimed it was necessary to foil a real large-scale plot targeting Ukraine and masterminded by the Kremlin. By Thursday the shock effect wore off, and commenters started to tear apart the story they were fed.
According to the Ukrainian law enforcement, the biggest immediate win for the SBU in the case was the arrest of a Ukrainian businessman identified as "G". He is accused of serving as an organizer of the hit on Babchenko on behalf of Russian intelligence. He did hire a man, who was actually an SBU informant, and paid him $30,000 to kill Babchenko, the story goes. The SBU published footage of the arrest as well as a video taken by a hidden camera, which showed the money changing hands.
The official narrative claims that the assassination was meant as a dry run for a larger plot, which would target some 30 prominent public figures in Ukraine. "G" was supposed to purchase 300 Kalashnikov assault rifles and ammunition and organize several weapon caches in central Ukraine, the SBU claimed.
The suspect was later identified by a Ukrainian court as Boris German. According to his public profile, he is 50, has some military background and is interested in firearms. He is also the son of a prominent Ukrainian businessman Lev German and owns several companies in the country.
Comment: Herman is an arms dealer, director of a Ukrainian-German arms manufacturer (Schmeisser), the "only nonstate arms-production enterprise" in Ukraine. They supplied weapons to the neo-Nazis in Kiev's "ATO" operation against Donbass. His firm has a long-standing relationship with the Kiev government. He's anything but pro-Russian. In fact, he claims he was acting as an undercover counterintel agent for Ukrainian intelligence. It looks as if this entire thing was set up in order to steal Herman's company.
There is little official information about the case. But some Ukrainian media turned to their sources and dug up some interesting, if yet unconfirmed, details.
According to ukranews.com, German was offered a deal by the investigators, who offered him leniency in exchange of testifying against a person who was not named by the officials. The source said he rejected the offer and also said the businessman works with arms procurement for the Ukrainian army.
Strana.ua said its source confirmed that German had connections in the arms business. It also added that he was apparently framed by the Ukrainian law enforcement, which offered him to take part in a sting operation.
Read more
and Sott.net
It didn't take long for the story of a brave operation to prevent a Russian assassination in Kiev by faking a journalist's death to start unravelling and revealing a crude publicity stunt.
On Wednesday, Ukraine's national security service SBU shocked the world by revealing that it had staged the murder of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko. The service claimed it was necessary to foil a real large-scale plot targeting Ukraine and masterminded by the Kremlin. By Thursday the shock effect wore off, and commenters started to tear apart the story they were fed.
According to the Ukrainian law enforcement, the biggest immediate win for the SBU in the case was the arrest of a Ukrainian businessman identified as "G". He is accused of serving as an organizer of the hit on Babchenko on behalf of Russian intelligence. He did hire a man, who was actually an SBU informant, and paid him $30,000 to kill Babchenko, the story goes. The SBU published footage of the arrest as well as a video taken by a hidden camera, which showed the money changing hands.
The official narrative claims that the assassination was meant as a dry run for a larger plot, which would target some 30 prominent public figures in Ukraine. "G" was supposed to purchase 300 Kalashnikov assault rifles and ammunition and organize several weapon caches in central Ukraine, the SBU claimed.
The suspect was later identified by a Ukrainian court as Boris German. According to his public profile, he is 50, has some military background and is interested in firearms. He is also the son of a prominent Ukrainian businessman Lev German and owns several companies in the country.
Comment: Herman is an arms dealer, director of a Ukrainian-German arms manufacturer (Schmeisser), the "only nonstate arms-production enterprise" in Ukraine. They supplied weapons to the neo-Nazis in Kiev's "ATO" operation against Donbass. His firm has a long-standing relationship with the Kiev government. He's anything but pro-Russian. In fact, he claims he was acting as an undercover counterintel agent for Ukrainian intelligence. It looks as if this entire thing was set up in order to steal Herman's company.
There is little official information about the case. But some Ukrainian media turned to their sources and dug up some interesting, if yet unconfirmed, details.
According to ukranews.com, German was offered a deal by the investigators, who offered him leniency in exchange of testifying against a person who was not named by the officials. The source said he rejected the offer and also said the businessman works with arms procurement for the Ukrainian army.
Strana.ua said its source confirmed that German had connections in the arms business. It also added that he was apparently framed by the Ukrainian law enforcement, which offered him to take part in a sting operation.
Read more
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