former Ukrainian lawmaker and a prominent pro-Russian figure was found dead on Wednesday in a suburb near Moscow.
The 46-year-old Kyva, who had fled to Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head, sparking a wave of speculation and controversy, as per The Independent.
Kyiv Linked to Killing of Pro-Russian Lawmaker in Moscow
Illia Kyva, known for his pro-Russian stance and criticism of the Ukrainian authorities, had been a vocal supporter of Moscow's policies. Before the invasion in February 2022, he had urged Kyiv to surrender and subsequently fled to Russia, where he continued to express his views on various Russian state TV talk shows. His death in the elite suburb of Odintsovo marks a significant and ominous turn in the ongoing conflict.
The Russian Investigative Committee stated that Kyva was shot by an unidentified assailant, and he died instantly from his injuries. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military intelligence has not only acknowledged but also lauded the killing, issuing a stark warning to other "traitors of Ukraine."
Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, made a chilling statement on national TV, confirming Kyva's death and hinting at Ukraine's involvement. "Kyva is done. Such a fate will befall other traitors of Ukraine, as well as the henchmen of the Putin regime," Yusov declared, calling Kyva "one of the biggest scumbags, traitors and collaborators" and labeling his death as "justice."
Kyva's controversial background includes being sanctioned by the UK for undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and being sentenced in absentia by a Ukrainian court to 14 years in prison on charges of treason and incitement to violence.
This incident has raised concerns about the reach of Kyiv's intelligence operations within Russia. Moscow has previously accused Ukrainian secret services of orchestrating high-profile assassinations, including the killing of Darya Dugina, daughter of a Russian ultra-nationalist ideologue, and the death of Vladlen Tatarsky, a Russian military blogger, according to The Guardian.
Car Bomb Kills Russian-Allied Politician in Luhansk
In a related development, a Russian-backed politician in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, Oleg Popov, was also killed in a car bombing on the same day. Popov, a deputy in the pro-Moscow Luhansk regional parliament, died following the detonation of an unidentified device in his car, as reported by Russia's investigative committee.
Kyva's death follows a series of targeted attacks and assassinations that have characterized the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been implicated in several attacks on pro-war Russians and former Ukrainian officials who have supported Moscow's military campaign.
The circumstances surrounding Kyva's death, particularly in the context of his public support for using weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine, add a layer of complexity to the already volatile situation. His last social media posts, where he called for President Zelensky to flee to Britain and labeled him as an MI6 stooge and a cocaine addict, reflect the intense propaganda battle that accompanies the physical conflict.
As the situation continues to evolve, Kyva's death symbolizes the deep-seated animosity and the lengths to which both sides are willing to go in this conflict. The incident not only highlights the precarious state of Ukrainian-Russian relations but also underscores the dangerous and often lethal nature of political dissent in times of war, Daily Mail reported.