The second life of Commander Kapustin: How Ukrainian intelligence deceived Moscow

Denis Kapustin, a Russian far-right opponent of Vladimir Putin, died on December 27 in the Ukrainian province of Zaporizhzhia at the age of 41. Kapustin, commander of a group of Russians opposed to the Kremlin fighting against the occupying troops in Ukraine, was killed in a drone strike on the front lines. This was announced by his battalion, the Russian Volunteer Corps (DRK), and confirmed by the Ukrainian army. But Kapustin was “resurrected” on January 1: his death was a fabrication by the Ukrainian intelligence services (GUR) to expose an operation by Moscow’s secret services.

“Congratulations, Denis Kapustin, on your return to life.” This was how Kyrylo Budanov, head of the GUR, greeted him on January 1 in a video conference that was made public as proof that he was alive. “It’s always a pleasure to greet you. The money used to assassinate you will go toward supporting our struggle,” Budanov added.

According to a statement from the GUR, the Timur Special Unit required only a month of preparation to convince Russian intelligence services that they were contacting collaborators inside Ukraine. The Timur group did not specify how they achieved this. The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU, responsible for intelligence operations along with the GUR) regularly presents cases of how the enemy recruits Ukrainians to carry out sabotage or transmit information about the location of military units. The most common method is through Telegram channels where pro-Russian sympathizers or those with financial difficulties make contact. Once the task is completed, they are paid, in most cases, in cryptocurrency.

They agreed to pay $500,000 for Kapustin’s assassination. Announcing his death was necessary to convince the Kremlin that the operation had been carried out and to transfer the money.

Through this mission, the GUR managed to save Kapustin’s life and identify Russian agents assigned to operations inside Ukraine.

Kapustin explained in the videoconference that he is in Ukraine and will soon take up arms again. The DRK leader is an extremist who provokes enormous revulsion outside of Ukraine. The Russian opposition in exile has broken off relations with him, and since 2019, due to a German court ruling, he has been barred from entering the European Union on charges of promoting neo-Nazi groups.

Compared to Kapustin and his group, parties that in Spain are usually labeled far-right, such as Vox, would be considered moderate political forces. Their racism, for example, dictates that only Slavs can fight in the DRK. Their stance on issues like homosexuality would land them in court in many EU countries.

Ukrainian authorities are avoiding this controversy because they believe Kapustin is doing the job they need: mobilizing Russians who want to fight against other Russians. His battalion gained prominence in 2023 when it participated in the first Ukrainian incursion to occupy part of Russian territory, in the Belgorod region.

The GUR has distinguished itself during nearly four years of war with covert operations worthy of a movie script. In 2023, they convinced a Russian helicopter pilot to defect with the aircraft. This Russian military officer was secretly transferred to Spain, where he was murdered in 2024, allegedly at the behest of his country’s intelligence services. Also in 2024, they managed to infiltrate an enemy warship docked in Kaliningrad, Russia, and set it on fire.

There are missions on Russian soil with indications that they were carried out by the GUR, but neither the GUR nor other Ukrainian defense agencies officially acknowledge them. This is the case with the three car bomb attacks that occurred in Moscow in December. One of them killed a general involved in the invasion.

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