Top Russian general eliminated: ex-SBU chief points to betrayal within Russian military leadership

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"In reality, this assassinated general from the Russian General Staff held a very important position. In my opinion, it was the highest-ranking position among those Russian military officials who have been eliminated in recent years. 

Moreover, he had prospects and, as far as I know, was being considered within the Russian military leadership for a key operational role coordinating all criminal military operations against Ukraine. In other words, within the criminal military hierarchy of Russia, he was climbing the ladder," noted Valentyn Nalyvaichenko.

According to him, the killing of such a high-ranking military official in Russia, especially right before his appointment to a new position, is a signal that any of them can be and will be eliminated.

"I'll add a bit more spice: such high-ranking officials from the General Staff live undercover, they have fabricated identities — apartments, surnames, and everything else. That is, all the data on such ranks are changed and unknown to anyone. And this indicates that the main danger, which the high-ranking officials of the Russian General Staff and Ministry of Defense feel, is that they are most likely being betrayed, blown up, or ordered to be killed by their own. 

Therefore, I would not rule out this version either. Now all these high-ranking criminals understand that they cannot hide from responsibility even with changed names and fabricated lives," noted the former head of the SBU.

Nalyvaichenko does not rule out the version that at the high military level in Russia, they are removing competitors in this way to gain favor and advance, as it is a path to enormous wealth. After all, it is known that since 2014, Russian commanders and generals have enriched themselves the most and looted Ukrainian lands.

• On April 25, in the town of Balashikha, Moscow region, a car explosion killed Yaroslav Moskalik, a general of the Russian Defense Ministry’s General Staff.