Kyiv, July 13 — Editor-in-chief of Censor.NET Yuriy Butusov has disclosed new details surrounding the July 10 assassination of SBU Colonel Ivan Voronych in Kyiv, revealing that the suspects—later killed during a security operation—were Azerbaijani nationals allegedly working for Russian intelligence.
In a Facebook post, Butusov stated that the evidence linking the assassins to Russian services was “overwhelming,” as the agents were quickly tracked and eliminated by Ukrainian forces. “They were used by Russia as disposable assets. The FSB wouldn’t trade for them—they had no value beyond the assignment,” he wrote.
The shooter was identified as Hagani Gulalizada, and his accomplice as Narmin Guliyeva. Both held Azerbaijani passports but were said to be closely tied to criminal syndicates in Russia. Their connections suggest recruitment through underworld channels, according to Butusov.
Guliyeva entered Ukraine legally on May 15 from Moldova via the Mayaky-Udobne border checkpoint. Gulalizada had been denied entry at the same crossing on February 27 due to his designation in Ukrainian databases as a mafioso. He was banned from entering Ukraine until 2030 but is believed to have crossed illegally before the attack.
Voronych, a senior officer formerly with the SBU’s 5th Counterintelligence Directorate, was reportedly targeted in retaliation for his role in sabotage operations against Russian military and intelligence personnel in occupied territories. Although he was no longer with that unit at the time of his death, his past actions had made him a prime target, Butusov noted.
The two suspects were killed by Ukrainian security forces on July 13 as they attempted to escape capture.
