On the night of 1/9, the special forces unit Alpha of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) engaged in a shootout with special forces from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR). The incident left at least three GUR officers injured; casualties on the SBU side are unknown.

An Ukrainian intelligence source indicated that the shootout began when GUR agents attempted to rescue one of their members who was being detained by the SBU.

According to Kyiv Independent, the incident involved Stepan Kaplunov, a Russian citizen known for his anti-Kremlin views. Kaplunov serves as deputy commander of the RVC paramilitary force, a unit under the GUR primarily composed of Russian citizens fighting alongside the Ukrainian military.

SBU and GUR officers in a shootout in Kyiv on the night of 1/9. Video: X/TuiteroMartin

Kaplunov's lawyer and Ukrainian officials stated that the SBU brought him to the apartment of an RVC member, preparing for a search. RVC members attempted to obstruct the SBU forces and called for reinforcements.

Armed SBU and GUR officers then gathered around the building, confronting each other throughout the evening. The first shots were fired around 23:00 on 1/9, with exchanges of gunfire continuing into the morning of 2/9.

One source told Washington Examiner that the SBU initiated an investigation into Kaplunov based on intelligence they received, describing the clash as evidence of widespread breakdown within Ukraine's security system. "The situation is absolute chaos," the source added.

The SBU offered a different explanation, stating that its officers were conducting "an urgent search related to an alleged attack plot by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB)", but were obstructed by an armed group. The SBU had to deploy its Alpha special forces unit to the scene, apprehending three individuals from a Ukrainian military unit.

The scene of the shootout between the SBU and GUR in Kyiv on 2/9. Photo: Kyiv Post

The SBU previously announced that it had cooperated with the GUR to thwart an assassination plot targeting "one symbol of the Russian opposition movement present in Ukraine". The GUR also posted similar information, but quickly removed it.

Neither agency clearly explained Kaplunov's connection to the alleged Russian assassination plot, nor why special forces units, supposedly involved in a joint operation, turned to shooting at each other.

Kaplunov's lawyer stated that his client is no longer detained, but his whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities have not yet disclosed the legal basis for his arrest.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the shootout "a completely disgraceful, unacceptable act" and demanded an investigation. Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Staff to the President of Ukraine and former GUR director, called for a "comprehensive and impartial" investigation, emphasizing that "no one has the right to arbitrarily detain servicemen and open fire on the streets".

The clash raised doubts about GUR director Oleh Ivashchenko's ability to control his subordinates, especially units that maintain close ties with his predecessor, Budanov. One source indicated that Ivashchenko is likely to be dismissed.

Video believed to show the altercation leading to the shootout between SBU and GUR special forces in Kyiv on 2/9. Video: UNN

Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Chief of Staff Budanov maintains influence within the GUR through his close associates, including Timur, commander of the special forces unit responsible for managing the RVC.

They suggest that the intense competition between Ukraine's two leading intelligence agencies stems from disagreements between Kyrylo Budanov and acting SBU director Oleksandr Poklad. "The two have had a long-standing conflict. Things calmed down after personnel changes, but the events of 2/9 exposed everything," one person said.

The SBU was established after Ukraine declared independence in 1991, inheriting most of the personnel, facilities, and infrastructure of the Soviet Union's State Security Committee (KGB) branch in the country. It is Ukraine's main domestic security agency, responsible for counterintelligence and counter-terrorism operations, reporting directly to the President, and considered a regular military force.

The GUR, subordinate to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, was formed in September 1992 based on units of the Soviet Military Intelligence Directorate in the Kyiv, Odesa, and Carpathian military districts. The GUR is responsible for intelligence gathering and includes many special forces units.

Oleksandr Poklad (left) and Kyrylo Budanov. Photo: X/ZelenskyyUa

This is not the first time conflicts between the SBU and GUR have resulted in bloody clashes.

In March 2022, SBU officers shot and killed Denys Kireyev, a GUR agent who had participated in the first round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The SBU suspected Kireyev of treason, while the GUR honored him as "an intelligence officer who sacrificed his life while on a special mission". Kireyev's death was later attributed to a lack of coordination between the two intelligence agencies.

Since the conflict began, both the SBU and GUR have received large quantities of weapons, expanded their combat units, and gained significant autonomy in their operations.

The competition between the two agencies has helped Ukraine carry out bold operations, but it has also led to a struggle for personnel, resources, and media credit. "The Kyiv shootout highlights the danger when the rivalry between two heavily armed intelligence agencies escalates into conflict," remarked Washington Examiner writer Ani Chkhikvadze.

Nguyen Tien (According to Washington Examiner, AFP, Kyiv Independent)