Spy chief reveals Ukraine has been assassinating Russian pro-war propagandists far from the frontlines

• Ukraine has been assassinating Russian pro-war propagandists since the war began, its spy chief now says.
• Major-General Kyrylo Budanov that his network has operated behind the frontlines, The Times reported.

A Ukrainian spy chief revealed that Kyiv has been assassinating Russian pro-war propagandists far behind enemy lines — and they've had the help of some Russian citizens to complete their sabotage missions.

In a series of interviews reported on by The Times, Major-General Kyrylo Budanov — the head of Ukraine's military intelligence service — said his agents have been targeting, locating, and killing Kremlin-backed propagandists who've cheered on Russia's invasion.

"We've already successfully targeted quite a few people," Budanov said, The Times reported. "There have been well-publicized cases everyone knows about, thanks to the media coverage."

Though Budanov didn't cite specific names of people targeted in the alleged killings, several high-profile explosions have killed Russian citizens within Putin's borders.

The latest incident involved Russian writer and ultranationalist Zachar Prilepin, who broke both his legs in a car bombing earlier this month.

According to BBC News, the bomb was placed under the passenger seat and detonated remotely, killing his friend Alexander Shubin. Prilepin had been driving the car.

Investigators accused Russian citizen Alexander Permyakov of working with Ukrainian intelligence to assassinate Prilepin, BBC said.

Vladlen Tatarsky, a military blogger, was also killed in a St. Petersburg cafe explosion in April. The bomb was reportedly stuffed into a statue allegedly gifted to Tatarsky by a woman at an event honoring him. Video footage posted online showed Tatarsky receiving the statue moments before the cafe blew up.

In another interview, Budanov alleged that "a minority of Russians" are cooperating with Ukraine's reconnaissance, The Times reported.

Recent attacks, such as a cargo train derailment similar to recent freight train derailments, have been enacted by "almost 100 percent citizens of the Russian Federation," he said.

Budanov said these Russians are motivated to assist in sabotage and assassinations by "patriotic reasons" and a desire to change Russia, The Times reported. Budanov's claims of Russian help with sabotage operations haven't been independently substantiated.