Executive Summary

The 29 May suicide-bomb assassination in Stavropol of decorated Russian commander Zaur Gurtisieve is a continuation of a lethal campaign by Ukrainian intelligence against high-ranking Russian officials, popular pro-Kremlin voices, and those identified as being involved in Russian war crimes since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The attacks have occurred across occupied territories in Ukraine as well as within Russian territory, including in Moscow. [source] 

While these operations demonstrate Ukrainian capabilities and resolve, their strategic impact is limited. Assassinations of key figures may provide a much-needed morale boost for Kyiv’s troops while undermining the morale of Moscow’s forces, but they are unlikely to decisively alter the course of the war. Additionally, there is little evidence to suggest that such actions have weakened Western support for Ukraine.