A high-ranking officer in Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU), Nikita Klenkov, was shot dead in Moscow Oblast, according to reports by Russian state-controlled media on October 16.
The 44-year-old Klenkov served as the deputy commander of GRU unit 43292, a training center for Special Operations Forces.
According to the Moscow Times, Klenkov was gunned down on the side of the road in the town of Melenki, located east of Moscow.
Reports from the Russian Telegram channel Baza claims that an unknown assailant fired eight shots at Klenkov from a passing car.
The Russian state media outlet TASS reported that Klenkov had recently returned from the front lines in Ukraine just a week before the attack.
His death is currently under investigation, with Russian authorities working to uncover more details about the shooting.
At this time, it remains unclear whether Klenkov’s murder was a politically motivated assassination or the result of another conflict. Russian officials have not provided further information, and Kyiv has not commented on the situation.
This incident follows a series of violent attacks involving Russian officials. In July, another GRU officer lost his feet in a car bomb attack in Moscow.
At the time, Ukrainian officials denied any involvement, with presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak even suggesting that the explosion may have been caused by a gas malfunction.
