Stanislav Rzhitsky's death: Ukraine denies killing Russian military commander who featured in blacklist

Russian military official, Stanislav Rzhitsky, who had commanded a submarine in the Black Sea and appeared on a Ukrainian blacklist of alleged war criminals, was shot dead by an unknown assassin while on his morning run.

A Russian military official, Stanislav Rzhitsky, who had commanded a submarine in the Black Sea and was listed on a Ukrainian blacklist of alleged war criminals, was shot dead by an unidentified assailant while on his morning run on Monday. The incident occurred in the city of Krasnodar in southern Russia. The 42-year-old military commander's personal details were published on the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets, which identifies individuals considered enemies of Ukraine. The word "Liquidated" was superimposed on his photograph on the site.

Russian media suggested Ukraine's involvement, but Ukrainian officials denied any involvement in the Rzhitsky's killing. The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Budanov, said that the agency had nothing to do with the death of the Russian army captain.

Russian state media reported that Rzhitsky served as deputy head of military mobilization in Krasnodar and had previously commanded the "Krasnodar" submarine in the Black Sea. He was shot four times in the back and chest and died at the scene. The motive for the killing remains unclear.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the "Krasnodar" is a diesel-electric submarine designed for the Black Sea fleet, capable of engaging surface ships and submarines, laying mines, and conducting reconnaissance.

Anton Gerashchenko, a Ukrainian interior ministry adviser, tweeted that Russian media were pointing the finger at Ukraine but he did not comment on whether that suspicion was justified.

"So far Russian police cannot find a single surveillance camera that would show the crime being committed. The search continues," Gerashchenko said.

A Russian Telegram channel, Baza, linked to the security services speculated that the killer may have tracked Rzhitsky's movements through an app where he shared details of his regular jogging route and timing.

Meanwhile, a Telegram channel used by self-proclaimed pro-Ukraine partisans suggested, without evidence, that Rzhitsky was suspected of involvement in a submarine-launched cruise missile strike in July 2022, which resulted in casualties in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia.

This incident follows the assassination of at least two other pro-war Russian figures listed on the Myrotvorets database. Journalist Darya Dugina was killed in a bomb attack in August, and war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was assassinated in April.

Russia has accused Ukraine of being behind these attacks, while Ukraine has denied involvement, suggesting they may be a result of internal conflicts within Russia. The search for evidence and the investigation into Rzhitsky's murder are ongoing.