Ukrainian submarine officer who defected to Russia liquidated in Crimea
Robert Shagaev, a former Ukrainian submarine commander who defected to Russia in 2014, was killed in an explosion in Sevastopol. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues its long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, and Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands has triggered a diplomatic crisis with Japan.
Russian media reported on Thursday that a Russian army officer was killed in an assassination on the Crimean Peninsula. According to Telegram channels linked to Russian security services, the deceased is Robert Shagaev, who previously commanded the submarine 'Zaporizhzhia' in the Ukrainian Navy before defecting to Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea. In Ukraine, he had been declared a traitor and faced charges of high treason.
The explosive device was planted in a trash can in a residential area on Stoletovsky Street in Sevastopol. A woman suspected of detonating the device has been arrested. Earlier that same day, five people were reported killed in a separate incident in Sevastopol while attempting to neutralize an explosive device.
Deep-strike campaign and fuel crisis
Ukraine continues its campaign of targeting Russian infrastructure deep behind the front lines. Today, an oil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan, located 1,300 km from the border, was struck by a drone. Previously, an oil facility in Orsk (1,470 km from the border) was disabled; Russian authorities admitted that repairs could take up to six months. These strikes are exacerbating fuel shortages in several Russian regions.
Meanwhile, an Iranian-made Shahed drone strike on a passenger train in the Odessa region resulted in the deaths of the train driver and his assistant. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack on a civilian target, stating that the drone operator could not have been unaware of the nature of the target.
Diplomatic crisis with Japan
Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup Island in the Kuril chain has sparked a sharp protest from Tokyo. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reaffirmed Japan's claim to the 'Northern Territories' and stated that the visit would have a negative impact on bilateral relations. This marks the first visit by a Russian president to the islands since 2010. Analysts suggest that the ongoing militarization of the Kurils with air defense systems and Su-35 fighters serves as a strategic lever for Russia amid Japan's continued support for international sanctions.
