Khartiia commander comments on assassination attempt, vows retaliation

Ihor Obolenskyi, who leads the Khartiia 2nd Corps of Ukraine's National Guard, has spoken out about the assassination attempt that was prevented on 31 July. In a Facebook post, he described the incident as evidence that his unit is successfully destroying the enemy on the battlefield. He also stated that terrorism is among the methods Russians employ in warfare and indicates their failure to reach political objectives through military means.

The commander thanked everyone who expressed concern and support. He added that the attempt signals the enemy's fear, and promised that retaliation will make them even more afraid.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the attempt on Obolenskyi's life had been foiled. According to Ukrainska Pravda's sources, a 69-year-old man was detained near a barbershop on the same day; he is believed to have been preparing the attack. The sources said the weapon jammed or failed to fire, and the man had approached the commander from behind. The suspect claims Russian handlers, posing as officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), convinced him that Obolenskyi was a "traitor". In the evening, the SSU and the National Police officially confirmed the detention of a "potential killer" and said formal suspicion proceedings are being prepared.