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Ukraine’s SBU trots out explanation for refusing to name ‘mastermind’ of Babchenko plot

SBU Chief Vasily Gritsak accused Russia’s special services of engineering the attempted murder and said that the mastermind behind the crime had been detained on Wednesday

Arkady Babchenko AP Photo/Alexander Baroshin

Arkady Babchenko

© AP Photo/Alexander Baroshin

KIEV, May 31. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) unveiled its motives for not naming the mastermind behind the attempted murder of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko.

According to the Ukrainian TSN TV Channel, the SBU says that the active phase of the investigative measures is still underway and the security services "do not want journalists to prematurely identify" the mastermind behind ‘the crime’ as they believe this may impede the investigation.

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Ukrainian law enforcement still have 48 hours to choose a measure of restraint for the suspect in custody.

On Tuesday evening, Kiev police claimed that Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was the victim of a fatal attack, in which he was allegedly gunned down. However, on Wednesday Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) convened a press conference revealing that they had foiled an attempt on the life of the Russian journalist by pulling off a sting operation where Babchenko’s death was faked.

SBU Chief Vasily Gritsak stated at the news briefing that Babchenko was unharmed, after which the then presumed ‘dead’ Russian journalist strolled out in front of reporters.

Gritsak accused Russia’s special services of engineering the attempted murder and said that the mastermind behind the crime had been detained on Wednesday. The SBU chief did not give the detainee’s last name, only saying that it started with the letter G.

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