Plot to assassinate Putin's confessor uncovered by FSB
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the prevention of an assassination attempt on Metropolitan Tikhon Shevkunov, who is unofficially known as Vladimir Putin's confessor. As a result, two people were detained, including the metropolitan's assistant.
Many of the reports provided by Russian media or authorities contain elements of propaganda. Such announcements are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
The FSB reported that the detainees admitted to planning the assassination, which was allegedly prepared by Ukrainian intelligence. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blamed the "Kyiv regime" for this.
However, a representative of Ukrainian military intelligence, Andrii Yusov, rejected these accusations, calling them "absurd" and "lies." "We fight in accordance with the rules of war and international law,” Yusov added.
According to the independent portal Meduza, the detainees are a Russian citizen and a Ukrainian citizen with a residence permit in Russia. State media in Moscow reported that they are Denis Popovich, Shevkunov's assistant, and Nikita Ivankovich. Previously, "Novaya Gazeta" reported that in mid-February, a Moscow court ordered the detention of two seminary graduates, including Popovich.
Background
Metropolitan Tikhon, a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, serves as the metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea. From 1995 to 2018, he was the superior of the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow, located near the FSB headquarters. The monastery has a tumultuous history, including a period of closure in 1925 and later controversies related to activities on its premises.
In 2012, a brothel was discovered on the monastery grounds, operating in a private facility unrelated to the monastery. The police shut it down. The monastery maintained that it was unaware of this activity.
