Assassination Attempt on Russian Orthodox Priest Linked to Confession with Putin

russia - Russian Federal Security Service foils assassination plot on priest Tikhon Shevkunov, linked to Putin's confessions, orchestrated by Ukrainian operatives.

Russian Priest Targeted for Confession

Russian Orthodox priest Tikhon Shevkunov, known for confessing Putin's sins, narrowly escapes assassination attempt by Ukrainian operatives. The Federal Security Service (FSB) announces the arrest of two suspects, Nikita Ivankovich and Denis Popovich, who confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian intelligence to carry out the attack. The suspects were apprehended in a forested area where they were hiding. It was revealed that Ivankovich, a Russian priest in Moscow, and Popovich, Shevkunov's assistant, were tasked with surveilling and eliminating Shevkunov. Popovich admitted to being coerced into the plot under threats to harm his family. The plan involved planting a bomb in a residential building of the 14th-century Sretensky Monastery, where Shevkunov held a prominent position until 2018. The Kremlin condemned the assassination attempt, emphasizing the unholy nature of the act and the disregard for sacredness by the Kiev government. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted the close relationship between Putin and Shevkunov, dating back to the 1990s. Shevkunov, appointed as Bishop of Crimea in 2023, has been a familiar figure in Putin's confessions and is known for his ties to the Russian president.