Stanislav Rzhitsky, a Russian military officer previously in charge of a Black Sea submarine and listed as an alleged war criminal on a Ukrainian website, was assassinated during a morning run in Krasnodar. A suspect, found with a firearm and silencer, was arrested by Russia’s state Investigative Committee, but Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Key Points:
- Rzhitsky was assassinated during his morning run; the unidentified assailant shot him seven times with a Makarov pistol. His details, including his image, had appeared on a Ukrainian site that catalogs alleged enemies of the state.
- Russia’s state Investigative Committee arrested a suspect in his early 60s who was found with a pistol and silencer. A video was published showing the man’s arrest.
- Ukrainian military intelligence published information about Rzhitsky’s murder on their website without claiming responsibility or revealing the information source.
- Some believe the killer tracked Rzhitsky’s jogging route and timing via an app where he posted this information.
- Rzhitsky had been accused, without evidence, by pro-Ukraine factions of involvement in a deadly submarine-launched missile attack in Ukraine in July 2022. He had reportedly resigned from the military by the end of 2021.
