The risks of losing the chance to expose all the accomplices in the criminal attempt had outweighed all the other risks in this case. We count on understanding by Ukraine’s international partners and support for our country as it resists Russia’s hybrid acts.

As a result of the conducted covert operation, the journalist’s life was saved, the perpetrator of the assassination attempt detained, and its organizers discovered.

As President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko stressed during his meeting with Mr Babchenko, “we have finally learned to defend. To defend our country, to defend its citizens, and to do it through exceptionally professional efforts of the new SBU that is capable of standing up to challenges of any complexity”.

It has to be taken into account that Russia’s strategy remains unchanged: destabilization of Ukraine. Such attacks as the attempt at Babchenko’s life are perpetrated in order to unbalance the stability in Ukraine.

As of today, the necessary investigative activities are underway, and the position is most clear: it is now important to conclude the investigation and get information not only on the organizer but also on the persons who had ordered the hit and who will now continue to attempt similar acts against Ukraine.

We take this opportunity to call on our partners to accept this with understanding and to facilitate mobilization of international support for enhancement of sanctions against the Russian aggressor.