Law enforcement authorities in Moldova and Ukraine have uncovered a large-scale criminal network that was preparing a series of contract killings targeting Ukrainian public officials and civic figures on orders from Russian special services, according to Newsmaker.
Following more than 200 searches conducted on February 19 in Chisinau, Kyiv, and Odessa, 10 individuals were detained. Among them was a 34-year-old organizer of the scheme and two of his closest associates, who were located in Moldova. According to investigators, payment for eliminating a single target could reach up to $100,000, depending on the status and prominence of the intended victim.
The group’s coordinator detained in Moldova is a Moldovan citizen who had previously served a sentence in a Russian prison, where he was recruited by Russian intelligence services. After returning home, he actively supported pro-Russian groups involved in attempts to destabilize Moldova and organize mass protests in 2022–2023. Investigators established that direct preparations for the killings began in December 2025. At the initial stage, the organizer recruited several residents of Chisinau, Comrat, Orhei, and Bender (Tighina), whom he planned to send to Kyiv under the guise of couriers. Their task was to gather detailed information about the residences, travel routes, and daily routines of potential targets.
At least five individuals were on the group’s target list, whose deaths were intended to trigger significant public outrage. Among them were a well-known journalist included on Russia’s list of extremists, the head of a state strategic enterprise, senior officers of Ukraine’s military intelligence, and a Russian public figure who had taken a strong pro-Ukrainian stance. Investigators emphasize that the aggressor state intended to use these crimes to destabilize the internal situation in Ukraine.
During the searches, law enforcement seized a substantial arsenal, including weapons, ammunition, explosives, as well as computer equipment, mobile phones, and classified evidence of direct contacts with Russian handlers. Moldova’s Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, together with the General Police Inspectorate, confirmed that the criminal activity was directly coordinated by Russian special services. The investigation is ongoing, and the detainees face lengthy prison sentences for preparing contract killings and cooperating with foreign intelligence.
