Arkady Babchenko, the Russian journalist reportedly murdered in Kiev, faked his death as part of a sting operation, Ukrainian officials have said.
The 41-year-old, appeared at a Press conference alongside the head of the Ukrainian security service on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Babchenko, who was visibly tearful, said: Special apologies to my wife. Olechka, I am sorry, but there were no options here.
The operation took two months to prepare. I was told a month ago. As a result of the operation, one person has been captured, he is being held.
Vasily Gritsak, head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said the sting had been set up in order to thwart a genuine plot against Mr Babchenko’s life.
I can now reveal details of the SBU special operation, thanks to which we were able not only to thwart a cynical provocation, but also document the Russian special service’s preparations for this low crime, Mr Gritsak told journalists in Kiev.
I could offer my condolences to to Arkady Babchenko’s family, but I will not. On the contrary, today I congratulate Arkady on his third birthday in this hall, he added before Mr Babchenko entered the room.
Mr Babchenko’s death was announced late on Tuesday night and sent shockwaves through the Russian journalistic community.
Mr Babchenko, known for his sharp criticism of Vladimir Putin, was reported to have been found by his wife in a pool of blood at their Kiev apartment after apparently having been shot in the back.
He died in the ambulance on the way to hospital, Ukrainian police earlier said.
His murder had been ordered by Russian security services, the head of Ukraine’s security service had earlier claimed.
According to information received by the Ukrainian security service, the killing of Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was ordered by the Russian security services themselves, the Ukrainian agency’s chief Vasyl Grytsak told a news conference.
One of Russia’s most famous war correspondents
He went into exile in 2017, saying he had received multiple threats to himself and his family.
He had emerged as a bitter online critic of the Putin government in recent years, posting regular blogs attacking the Kremlin on his Facebook page.
He had in turn been attacked by pro-Kremlin and nationalist politicians and activists, who have in the past called him a fifth columnist.
Babchenko appeared to reference even more serious threats just hours before his apparent death.
In a tweet posted Monday afternoon, he wrote: When the president’s representative openly posts an offer to have you killed.
The tweet linked to a Facebook post from 2014, later deleted, in which he said Marina Yudenich, who formerly worked for the Kremlin, had called on Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to invite me for tea.
Mr Kadyrov is widely believed to be linked to the murders of several prominent Kremlin critics, including the 2015 assassination of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow.