Zelenskyy hinted at “retribution” against the Russian general who ordered the shelling of “Okhmatdyt”

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy hinted at an assassination attempt on a Russian general in russia's Saratov region, who gave orders for strikes on Lviv, Kryvyi Rih and "Okhmatdyt," reports UNN. 

No matter where Russian criminals hide, they will be found, and today there is another confirmation of this fact – confirmation on the territory of the Saratov region 

Update

Today, September 3, Russian media reported that the commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the russian Aerospace Forces, Mykola Varpakhovych, was shot in Saratov Oblast. 

It is claimed that an unknown assailant ambushed the commander near his private residence and shot him twice—in the head and abdomen. 

It was reported that Varpakhovych was in critical condition, and the attacker could not be detained.

While serving as commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of Long-Range Aviation of the Air Force of the russian Aerospace Forces, he exercised direct command over the aviation formation whose aircraft are systematically involved in launching missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine. 

On the night of June 13, 2023, the russian armed forces launched a massive missile attack on Kryvyi Rih with six Kh-101/555 missiles. Air defense forces shot down three cruise missiles, but strikes hit a five-story residential building and a private enterprise.

As a result of the attack, 13 people were killed and 38 were injured. 

On June 24, the Security Service collected an evidentiary base on five high-ranking officials of russian armed formations who organized the airstrike on civilian infrastructure in the city of Kryvyi Rih on June 13, 2023. Varpakhovych was among them; he issued the combat order to strike civilian targets. 

On August 31, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported that two Russian commanders had been notified of suspicion in strikes on "Okhmatdyt" in Kyiv and the "Sapphire" hotel in Kramatorsk. 

As the Prosecutor General noted, "according to the investigation, the strike on "Okhmatdyt" was directly coordinated by a major general—the commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of Long-Range Aviation of the russian armed forces." 

"Carrying out the order of Russia's senior military and political leadership, he issued a combat order to subordinate units and coordinated the missile strike mission against the children's hospital," he said.

In addition, in 2025, the SBU notified Varpakhovych and four other commanders of the russian army of suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war over the missile strike on the historic center of Lviv, which is located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The occupiers shelled civilian infrastructure located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site—the "Ensemble of the Historic Centre of Lviv." According to the case materials, the enemy launched two Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles and one Kh-101 cruise missile.

The attack on civilian targets was assigned to units of Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, commanded by Major General Mykola Varpakhovych. He then ordered Colonel Oleh Skytskyi, commander of the 121st Heavy Bomber Regiment of the russian Federation, to carry out a missile strike on Lviv.