Friday, May 1, 2026 7:00:31 AM

An apparent assassination attempt targeted Major General Azatbek Omurbekov in Russia’s Khabarovsk region. Omurbekov, known for his role in the invasion of the Kyiv region and dubbed the “Butcher of Bucha,” reportedly avoided harm when a bomb, hidden in a mailbox, exploded. However, another Russian military officer was killed in the blast.

The device detonated at the entrance of building 55 on the grounds of the Knyaze-Volkonskoye-1 military base, according to an X account VChK-OGPU, which tracks incidents among Russian authorities. The 392nd District Training Center, led by Gen. Omurbekov, is based at this facility. Lieutenant Colonel Kuzmenko died at the scene, and Russian authorities quickly classified information about the incident as they search for those responsible for targeting the general, who had been involved in alleged war crimes during the 2022 Bucha occupation near Kyiv.

The report of the assassination attempt emerged on April 28. It’s alleged that the mailbox exploded that day in the building where Omurbekov-known as the “Butcher of Bucha”-lived. Along with the deceased Lt. Colonel Kuzmenko, who commanded a communications battalion, several other soldiers nearby suffered injuries, though the precise number remains unclear.

According to “VChK-OGPU,” Russian officials have launched a terrorism investigation but have released no further details. There is still no official information about Omurbekov’s condition, leaving it uncertain whether he was harmed in the attack.

Local social media outlets in Khabarovsk confirmed an explosion at a military facility in the village of Knyaze-Volkonskoye. Some reports suggest the incident occurred inside the base’s club, and about 20 people were evacuated from the area. There are conflicting accounts about where the bomb was hidden: some say it was in a flower pot, others in a mailbox. Russian media confirmed one fatality, but officials have yet to make a statement on the explosion.

The Investigative Committee of the Khabarovsk region has not commented publicly on the attack or the possible assassination attempt against Major General Omurbekov. Regional Governor Dmitry Demeshin has also remained silent.

Azatbek Omurbekov is a Russian officer who previously commanded the 64th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade. He is accused of overseeing war crimes against civilians in the city of Bucha, outside Kyiv. Although Omurbekov was honored as a “Hero of Russia” by the Kremlin, he remains under Ukrainian and international sanctions as a suspected war criminal. Investigations into his actions have been published by the InformNapalm investigative community, as well as in a detailed media report by Radio Svoboda, which documented the brigade commander’s activities in occupied Ukraine. As of March 2022, Omurbekov held the rank of colonel and used the call sign “Zveno.” Under his command, troops occupied Bucha and Borodianka and advanced toward Makariv before being halted in Andriivka, where Omurbekov set up a headquarters in a school building and reportedly took part in torture, beatings, and executions of Ukrainian civilians.

A database of Russian war crimes, “Myrotvorets,” contains further information on Omurbekov, including details about his residence and passport. Photos show him standing next to a Russian Orthodox priest.

This isn’t the first such case in Russia in recent months. In February, there was an assassination attempt on Russian GRU Major General Vladimir Alexeyev in Moscow. Attackers shot at him several times in his apartment building’s stairwell before fleeing. Russian officials claimed Ukraine was behind the provocation, noting that Alexeyev was part of the Kremlin’s negotiating team on the Ukraine war.

(c)UNIAN 2026