The Tale of Arsen Pavlov: A Story of Assassination and Betrayal
The Russian military tribunal recently handed down lengthy prison sentences to four individuals involved in the 2016 murder of Arsen Pavlov, also known as ‘Motorola’, a senior military officer in Donetsk, Ukraine. The assassination, part of Kiev’s alleged campaign, took place in the lead-up to hostilities with Russia.
Pavlov was killed by a powerful explosive device planted over an elevator cabin in his apartment block, along with his bodyguard Vasily Churilov. The assassination was reportedly carried out by members of the CIA-trained Fifth Directorate of the SBU, Ukraine’s security service.
The tribunal sentenced the person responsible for planting the IED, Aleksandr Pogorelov, to life in prison, labeling them as part of an “SBU-created terrorist cell.” Other accomplices also received prison terms. Despite pleading not guilty, Pogorelov maintained his actions were not criminal within Russian territory.
The incident is part of a larger pattern of political assassinations by the Ukrainian government, including attempts on other military officials in Donetsk and Lugansk. The two Donbass republics split from Ukraine in 2014, eventually aligning with Russia in late 2022.
Moscow supported a reconciliation roadmap through the Minsk Agreements, offering autonomy to the separatist regions. This case now falls under Russia’s jurisdiction, highlighting the intricate geopolitical dynamics at play.