Ukraine staged a fake assassination of a Russian adversary who had fought with Ukrainian troops, deceiving Russia into paying a $500,000 bounty that Kyiv then used to finance its military operations.

The alleged target of the December 27 killing was Denis Kapustin, nicknamed “White Rex,” who leads the far-right Russian Volunteer Corps, an organization seeking to topple Vladimir Putin, according to Metro UK.

Nevertheless, Kapustin remains alive, even though the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced last week that he had died in an attack in southern Zaporizhzhia.

“We will certainly avenge you, Denis. Your legacy endures,” the RVC posted on Telegram last week.

On Thursday, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (GUR) verified that this was part of a covert mission to protect Kapustin’s life while simultaneously securing $500,000.

“Welcome back to the living,” declared HUR General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence, as he praised Kapustin and his unit for their successful covert mission, according to Australian outlet News.com.au.

Following Russia’s 2022 invasion, Kapustin established the RVC to combat Russian forces alongside Ukrainian troops.

The organization, designated as a terrorist group in Russia, had gained notoriety for conducting cross-border raids in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk areas. Kapustin had been sentenced twice in absentia to life in prison by Russia’s sham courts, The Sun reported.

In March 2024, the RVC launched an incursion into Russia, engaging security forces and subsequently taking Russian troops prisoner.

Ukraine and Russia are currently engaged in peace negotiations brokered by President Donald Trump. An agreement is reportedly near completion, though Ukrainian officials maintain that the primary obstacle continues to be the matter of contested territories.