Russian special forces kill a gunman who broke into a private house near Moscow

On Saturday, a heavily armed intruder was shot and killed by Russian special forces. The man had unlawfully entered a private residence in Moscow’s suburbs, firing upon and threatening to march on the Kremlin.

The perpetrator was detected by security personnel after breaking into a vacant home situated in a prestigious cottage community in the Istra district, roughly 45 kilometers (under 30 miles) west of Moscow. Upon entering the property, a police officer and two guards were held at gunpoint by the man, who they subsequently managed to evade, as per Russian news sources.

Authorities engaged in hours-long negotiations with the gunman, who was attired in battle gear and armed with a Kalashnikov rifle. He asserted that he had recently been at the front lines in Ukraine and believed he was divinely mandated to march on the Kremlin, Moscow’s governmental headquarters.

He refused to yield, firing upon the special forces. In their response, which involved storming the house, he was killed. Russia’s National Guard reported that the attacker was in possession of multiple automatic weapons and hand grenades.

The assailant was identified as Vyacheslav Chernenko, a 35-year-old from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, by Russian legislator Alexander Khinshtein. There was no immediate confirmation regarding his claim to have participated in the Ukrainian conflict.

Tatiana Vitusheva, the Istra administrator, characterized the attacker as mentally unstable.

Certain Russian news outlets suggested that the intruded-upon cottage once belonged to Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s former president who was sympathetic to Moscow. Yanukovych was forced out of office by popular protests and subsequently found asylum in Russia. The current owner, who was out of the country when the incident transpired, has listed the property for sale.

The incident garnered significant media attention, particularly in light of a recent attempt by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to instigate a revolt. His Wagner troops briefly seized control of military headquarters in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and got as near as 200 kilometers (125 miles) to Moscow, in an attempt to displace the country’s highest-ranking military officials.

Prigozhin, under a negotiated agreement that granted him and his mercenaries amnesty, agreed to end the rebellion that occurred between June 23-24. The agreement also permitted them to relocate to Belarus.

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More about Russian special forces operation

• Standoff in Istra Region
• History of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Rebellion
• Profile of Vyacheslav Chernenko
• Background of the Ukraine Conflict
• Former President Viktor Yanukovych’s Moscow Connection