By Smartencyclopedia with Agencies*
December 13, 2024
Mikhail Shatsky, a prominent Russian scientist leading the modernization of the Kh-59 and Kh-69 cruise missiles, was shot dead in a park near his home in Moscow, Ukrainian media reported. His death is attributed to Ukrainian intelligence, which deemed him a “legitimate target” due to his involvement in Russia’s military-industrial complex and aggression against Ukraine.
Русский: Ракета Х-59МК2 на МАКС-2009 English: Kh-59MK2
Shatsky’s work at the Experimental Design Bureau Mars under Russia’s state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom involved enhancing missile ranges and incorporating artificial intelligence into drones and military vehicles. The Kh-59 can strike targets up to 200 kilometers, while the Kh-69 boasts a 400-kilometer range. These weapons have been extensively used against Ukraine since the war began.
The assassination comes amid a series of targeted killings of Russian military figures by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian Defense Ministry sources confirmed the act, stating, “Anyone involved in the development of Russia’s military-industrial complex supporting aggression in Ukraine is a legitimate target for defense forces.”
Photographs circulating on social media show Shatsky’s bloodied body in the snow. Alexander Nevzorov, a Russian opposition figure in exile, described Shatsky as “guilty of the deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainians” and labeled him a “particularly dangerous criminal.” Nevzorov credited Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, with orchestrating the killing, saying, “His reach is long.”
The death of Shatsky follows other high-profile assassinations of Russian military figures. In November, naval officer Valery Trankovsky, accused of war crimes, was killed in Crimea, and in October, Air Force pilot Dmitry Golenkov was found dead in Russia after coordinating attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
These incidents highlight the escalating covert operations targeting key figures in Russia’s military apparatus, with significant implications for the ongoing conflict.
*Sources:
- Kyiv Independent
- Ukrainska Pravda
- The Times (UK)