Fifth suspect in Ukraine assassination plot gets 30-day pretrial detention
A fifth person was detained on Friday, February 20, for their involvement in planning assassinations in Ukraine. The Chisinau Court decided on February 21 to hold this individual in pre-trial detention for 30 days at the request of the prosecution.
He is originally from Balti, currently residing in Chisinau, and is 30 years old.
According to the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), this man, along with another accused individual who acted as a recruiter, is cooperating with the investigation, although he does not fully acknowledge his involvement in the crime's preparation.
Regarding another detainee from the initial four announced in the Republic of Moldova, a non-deprivation measure was applied to him on Friday evening, prohibiting him from leaving the Republic of Moldova for 60 days. He remains under investigation as a defendant in this case.
PCCOCS reports that, under the direction of its prosecutors, an investigation is ongoing into five individuals detained in the Republic of Moldova in connection with the crime of planning murders in Ukraine. This group consists of four men and one woman. Additionally, seven other Moldovan citizens are under criminal investigation in Ukraine.
The criminal investigation is ongoing, and during this process, the individuals involved benefit from the presumption of innocence as stated by law.
Investigators claim that the suspects had at least five intended targets, including Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon.
Preliminary reports indicate that rewards of up to $100,000 were offered for each assassination, with the amount varying based on the target's status.
The operation to dismantle this network was carried out as part of a collaborative effort between authorities in Chisinau and Kiev.
The group's recruiter is identified as Nicolae Andrei Șepeli, an individual with a criminal record in the Russian Federation. Although he was pardoned in the Republic of Moldova in 2022, reports suggest that he reestablished ties with the criminal underworld and Russian special services, using the Telegram platform to receive instructions from his "curators."
On February 19, 2026, immediately following his arrest, President Maia Sandu signed a decree revoking his pardon.
