CNN –
A Russian submarine commander was shot dead in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar on Monday. Obvious details of this were released by the Ukrainian secret service, who however did not claim responsibility for the shooting.
Stanislav Rzhitsky was killed by an “unknown person” earlier this week, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported, adding that “the motive for the crime is under investigation.”
According to TASS, suspects in Rzhitsky’s death have been identified.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Service revealed in an unusually detailed statement on Telegram how Rzhitsky was apparently shot. The agency did not specifically accept responsibility for the commander’s death.
“The submarine driver jogged in the park “30. Anniversary of the Victory” in Krasnodar. At around 6 a.m. he was shot seven times with a Makarov pistol. “As a result of the gunshot wounds, Rzhitsky died on the spot,” the statement said.
“Due to the heavy rain, the park was deserted, so there were no witnesses who could provide details or identify the attacker.”
According to the Ukrainian statement and Russian news reports, Rzhitsky commanded one of the Black Sea Fleet’s Russian Kilo-class submarines, which was capable of firing Kalibr cruise missiles.
Submarine-launched missile attacks have been responsible for some of the most devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities, including one on downtown Vinnytsia almost exactly a year ago that killed dozens of people, including three children.
A later statement by the Strategic Communications Department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted, on the surface, to downplay allegations that Kiev might have carried out the attack.
In a distant, perhaps even sarcastic, tone, the statement said Rzhitsky had concluded that rocket attacks that killed civilians were ineffective.
“Apparently he was eliminated by his own men because he refused to continue to carry out combat orders from his command regarding rocket attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities,” the statement concluded.