Three people have been injured after two top Ukrainian intelligence agencies shot at each other on the streets of Kyiv, officials have confirmed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hit out at the leaders of Ukraine's security service (SBU) and its military intelligence unit (HUR) after the incident, according to the president's chief communication adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, per the FT. Three people were wounded in the Wednesday (September 2) morning melee.
President criticises agency leaders
The President's office has not clarified what caused the clashes, but the SBU has issued a statement claiming its personnel were attacked when trying to search a property for a 'pre-trial investigation into the terrorist act organised by the FSB of the Russian Federation'.
An SBU spokesperson said: “During a search at one of the addresses, a group of individuals carried out an armed attack on the SBU operational-investigative group. They tried to hinder the investigation and blocked the passage of law enforcement officers with their cars.
“To stop the attack and ensure the safety of the participants in the procedural actions, a special unit of the Special Operations Center 'Alpha' of the SBU was involved. During the cessation of armed resistance, law enforcement officers used weapons.”
Detentions and seized weapons
They then claimed the SBU 'detained' members of the Ukrainian defence forces. The spokesperson added: “As a result of the incident, there are injured people among the people who resisted. The attackers have been detained.
“During the initial investigative actions, it was established that the detainees belong to one of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Weapons and documents were seized from them.”
The HUR has not commented on the incident. Footage from the incident circulated on social media early on Thursday morning (September 3). It shows a large group of men in military uniform shouting at one another, before several shots are fired.
The incident took place as Russian drones targeted Kyiv for the sixth day in a row. Russia has expanded its use of drone warfare in recent months in an effort to cripple Ukraine's economy.
