Russian General Shot in Assassination Attempt

On September 3, 2026, Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, 56, commander of Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was shot in the face and abdomen by an unknown assailant on a motorcycle in the village of Probuzhdeniye, Engels district. Reports indicate that he is in critical condition and was transported to a hospital for treatment where bullets were removed. The incident is believed to be an assassination attempt linked to ongoing tensions with Ukraine. Varpakhovich has been accused by Ukraine’s SBU security service of orchestrating attacks on civilian targets, including a July 2024 strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv that resulted in fatalities. He has also been implicated in a deadly missile strike on an apartment block in Odesa in April 2022, which killed eight people, including a three-month-old infant. Following the shooting, a criminal investigation was initiated into the attempted murder of a military serviceman, with forensic experts collecting evidence at the scene. A manhunt for the shooter is currently underway. This incident follows a series of attacks on senior Russian military officials attributed to Ukrainian intelligence efforts. Pro-war channels in Russia have criticized the lack of security for high-ranking military personnel, questioning why Varpakhovich was not provided with adequate protection. Varpakhovich's eldest son, Vladislav, reportedly died by suicide in 2023 after being conscripted into the army.