Russia 'Staged Assassinations' of Its Installed Leaders to Catch Ukrainians

At least two Russian military officials said to have been killed by Ukrainian forces this summer appear to be alive, with one appearing on a Russian TV network.

Sergei Tomko and Vitaly Gura were among 20 Moscow-installed officials said to have been killed, but Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and state-run media said the assassinations were staged by Russia as part of a sting operation to detect and arrest Ukrainian intelligence agents.

The FSB said "direct perpetrators and their accomplices" have been arrested, reported The Moscow Times, an independent online news publication headquartered in Amsterdam. One Ukrainian intelligence officer who allegedly oversaw the assassination attempts has also allegedly been identified.

Gura, the Moscow-installed deputy head of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, appeared on Russia's Channel One on Monday.

"The Ukrainian media have been saying that I'm already dead, that I have been killed," Gura, according to Russian news agency TASS. "In early August, I was told that preparations for an attempt on my life were on. I was given a recording testifying that some people were plotting to kill me."

The Moscow Times reported that Gura and Tomko were alerted to alleged Ukrainian assassination attempts by Russian security officers who were approached with audio recordings of intended killings. The security officers then suggested that the two men stage their deaths.

Gura's "death" resulting from "numerous" gunshot wounds was reported by TASS on August 6. The official was initially described as being in "serious" condition at a local hospital.

RIA Novosti posted a video on Telegram of a home allegedly belonging to Gura, including visible blood in the walkway.

Russian war correspondent Yuri Kotenok also reported Gura's death, saying it became official as he was being transported to Crimea.

"Ukrainian channels are openly celebrating yet another successful terrorist attack," Kotenok said in a Telegram post.

The death of Tomko, deputy police chief in of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region,was reported in early August, about one month after he was declared "dead" by Ukrainian and Russian officials on July 7.

The pro-Kremlin Russian publication Readovka reported that Tomko, 26, was reportedly shot and killed in his car shortly after being promoted to a deputy position following the Russian occupation of the Kherson region.

People's Deputy of Ukraine Oleksiy Goncharenko said on Telegram that Tomko "betrayed Ukraine and went over to the side of the enemy," organizing political events for the Russian Federation prior to becoming a deputy chief.

"On July 7, Tomko was liquidated," he wrote. "So now we have minus one werewolf. Let every traitor know that he will have to answer for his actions."

Anatoly Shtefan, an officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, wrote on Telegram that Tomko "crossed over to the Russian side."

"A man on a scooter drove up to his car, bang, that's all," Shtefan wrote. "Karma is like that."

Newsweek reached out to the defense ministries of Ukraine and Russia for comment.