Ukraine Takes Credit for Car Bombing That Killed Politician in Luhansk

The assassination was carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence, which has received strong support from the CIA

Ukraine’s CIA-backed military intelligence has taken credit for a car bombing that killed a politician in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine on Wednesday.

Mikhail Filiponenko, a member of the local Russian-backed legislature in Luhansk and former police chief, was killed in his car outside of his house. He was born in the Ukrainian oblast and joined the separatists who declared the creation of the Luhansk People’s Republic in 2014 following the coup that ousted former President Viktor Yanukovych.

According to AP, Filiponenko had survived a previous car bombing on February 21, 2022, three days before Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate, known as the GUR, claimed that Filiponenko was involved in torture camps in Luhansk.

Andriy Cherniak, a representative for the GUR, told POLITICO that the Wednesday killing of Filiponenko was “our operation.” The GUR said in a statement that it had the addresses of all “traitors” and warned that “all war criminals and collaborators will receive a fair retribution! The hunt continues!”

A recent report from The Washington Post detailed how the CIA helped build up the GUR and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), including tens of millions of dollars in funding since 2015. A former US intelligence official described the GUR as “our little baby” and said the US provided “all new equipment and training.”

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.