A Russian general accused by Ukraine of ordering a missile strike against a children's hospital in Kyiv was shot in northwestern Russia on Thursday, according to Russian authorities and media reports.
The Russian Investigative Committee said it opened an investigation into the attempted murder of a military service member who was shot several times in the city of Engels in the Saratov region. While the committee did not name the individual, Russian telegram channels widely reported the victim was Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Long-Range Aviation.
According to reports from Russian media and Ukrainian sources, the shooting occurred Thursday morning in the village of Probuzhdeniye in the Engels district of Saratov region. An assailant wearing a helmet arrived at a residence on a motorcycle and opened fire. Varpakhovich was struck twice—once in the face and once in the abdomen. The attacker fled the scene on the motorcycle, and a search was underway for the suspect.
Varpakhovich's driver was also wounded in the shooting. The general was transported to a hospital for emergency treatment, where doctors removed bullets from his wounds. According to available reports, his condition was described as critical.
Ukraine has held Varpakhovich responsible for ordering the missile attack on the Ohmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv. That strike occurred on July 8, 2024, as part of a broader Russian aerial assault on multiple Ukrainian cities. At least three people were killed in the hospital attack, and across all targets that day, at least 47 people died and 170 were wounded, according to Ukrainian sources.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alluded to the shooting in his daily address Thursday, stating "we will also carry out our own asymmetric operations in response" to Russia. He added, "The Russian criminals did not hide – they will be found. And today brings another confirmation."
The Russian Investigative Committee characterized the incident as an attempted murder investigation but did not officially confirm the identity of the victim at the time of reporting.