Quick Summary: Ukraine’s military intelligence says it staged a fake assassination of Denis Kapustin ("White Rex") to trick the Kremlin into paying a $500,000 bounty, which Kyiv then used to support its war effort. Kapustin survived despite earlier claims he had been killed by an FPV drone in Zaporizhzhia. The GUR confirmed the operation was a special mission to both protect Kapustin and secure the funds, an episode that has intensified tensions amid ongoing peace talks.
Ukraine Says It Orchestrated Fake Assassination to Turn Kremlin Bounty Into $500K War Fund
Denis Kapustin, also known by his pseudonym, "White Rex," the leader of the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps, was initially reported to have been killed by a drone strike.
Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (GUR) says it orchestrated a deceptive operation that presented the apparent killing of a Russian opponent as real, prompting the Kremlin to pay a $500,000 bounty that Kyiv then redirected to support its war effort.
Denis Kapustin, also known by his pseudonym "White Rex," appeared in a video announcing he was alive after Ukraine reportedly orchestrated a ruse to fool Russia.
The alleged Dec. 27 assassination targeted Denis Kapustin, widely known as "White Rex," the commander of the right‑wing Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a paramilitary unit that has fought against Russian forces since the 2022 invasion. Ukrainian officials say Kapustin is alive despite earlier claims from the Ukrainian Armed Forces that an FPV drone had killed him in the Zaporizhzhia region.
A drone headed toward a vehicle as part of a ruse to fool Russia into thinking Denis Kapustin was killed.
Official Account: On Thursday, the GUR publicly described the episode as a planned special operation designed both to protect Kapustin and to secure the $500,000 payout, which Kyiv says was used to fund military needs. HUR General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, congratulated Kapustin and his team, saying, "Welcome back to life," according to News.com.au.
A still image from a reported drone blast that killed one of Russia's biggest enemies.
Reactions And Context: The RVC — banned in Russia as a terrorist organization — has carried out cross‑border raids into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions and was reportedly tried in absentia by Russian courts, receiving life sentences in politically charged trials. Following the staged incident, the RVC posted on Telegram, "We will definitely avenge you, Denis. Your legacy lives on," and a Chechen leader publicly threatened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscoring the heightened tensions.
In March 2024 the RVC mounted an incursion into Russian territory, clashing with security forces and capturing Russian soldiers; the group's activities have been a flashpoint in an already volatile front.
Wider Implications: Kyiv’s admission that the operation was intended to collect funds from a Kremlin bounty raises questions about the use of deception in modern conflict, the ethics of such intelligence tactics, and the legal implications for non‑state armed groups. The incident also complicates an ongoing diplomatic backdrop: Ukraine and Russia have been reported to be in peace talks mediated by former U.S. President Donald Trump, though Ukrainian officials say negotiations remain stalled primarily over the status of disputed territories.
This account is based on statements by Ukrainian officials and reporting from multiple outlets. Some details reflect claims made by parties to the conflict and have not been independently verified.
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