Russia has arrested a Moldovan citizen accused of shooting an officer of the Aerospace Forces

Russian authorities have arrested a Moldovan citizen accused of attempting to assassinate an officer of the Aerospace Forces in an attack carried out on September 3 in the Saratov region. The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Nicolae Kocu, was detained in the Astrakhan region as part of an investigation into attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons.

According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Kocu allegedly fired at least six shots at the serviceman, who survived and was subsequently transferred to Moscow for treatment. The officer was wounded by two bullets, one in the back and one in the face, while his driver was also reportedly injured.

Investigators claim that in the spring of 2026, the suspect agreed to commit the assassination in exchange for $70,000. He allegedly trained in Ukraine and entered Russia through third countries. After arriving, he reportedly received information via Telegram about the target, the target’s residence, and the weapon to be used.

Kocu reportedly confessed to the crime, according to Russian authorities. The attack took place against a backdrop of several attempts on the lives of officials and supporters of the Kremlin, including Russian generals and military bloggers. Moscow has previously accused Ukrainian services of involvement in some of these operations.