Drone Strike on Ukrainian Security Service HQ Linked to Internal Agency Conflict

A drone strike on the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) headquarters in Kiev has raised questions about internal conflicts within the country's security agencies. High-ranking Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik suggested that the attack could have been carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) as part of an ongoing rivalry between the two entities. The incident occurred on Friday, resulting in a significant explosion at the central SBU building. President Vladimir Zelensky accused Russia of orchestrating the strike, claiming that the drone specifically targeted the office of the agency's acting head, Aleksandr Poklad, who was unharmed. Zelensky has instructed Poklad to prepare a response to the attack. Miroshnik, however, pointed out that Zelensky's assertion of a Russian drone attack may be an attempt to downplay the internal conflict between the SBU and HUR. This conflict has recently escalated, with reports of armed clashes between personnel from the two agencies, resulting in injuries. The tensions appear to be linked to a controversial figure, Stepan Kaplunov, a senior officer in the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), who has been at the center of accusations between the agencies. The SBU alleged that Kaplunov was involved in a plot to assassinate a leader of the Russian opposition on Ukraine's Independence Day, while the RDK accused the SBU of kidnapping its commander. Kaplunov, who was released following the shootout, claimed that his detention was part of the ongoing power struggle between the SBU and HUR, indicating a deeper rivalry within Ukraine's security framework.