Russian General Accused of Attacking Kyiv Children's Hospital Shot in Russia

Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces, was shot multiple times on Thursday, September 3, in the Saratov region of northwest Russia. According to reports, an attacker on a motorcycle approached the general in the village of Probuzhdeniye and shot him in the head and stomach before fleeing the scene. The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed it is investigating an attempted assassination of a military officer, and local reports indicate Varpakhovich was transported by plane to Moscow for treatment.

Ukraine holds Varpakhovich responsible for ordering a missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv in July 2024. The Ukrainian Security Service and the Prosecutor General's Office formally charged him with war crimes three days prior to the shooting, alleging he ordered the launch of a Kh-101 cruise missile. The hospital attack caused significant damage to intensive care, oncology, and surgery units, resulting in deaths and dozens of injuries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referenced the incident in a daily address, stating that Russia's criminals will be found and that Ukraine will carry out its own asymmetric operations in response. While Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the shooting, the event follows a series of apparent assassinations of high ranking Russian military officials, including Igor Kirillov, Yaroslav Moskalik, and Fanil Sarvarov.