Female Assassin Targets Ukrainian Anti-Russian Activist Serhii Sternenko Who Survives Assassination Attempt in Kyiv (video)

Sternenko is one of the most well-known Ukrainian activists on social media, with over two million YouTube subscribers and 840,000 Telegram followers

Prominent Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko, known for his strong anti-Russian stance and major fundraising efforts for Ukraine's military, survived an assassination attempt outside his residence in Kyiv. The attack was captured on CCTV and showed a woman opening fire on Sternenko before being swiftly subdued by his companions and detained.

The footage revealed the woman standing near a residential building as Sternenko approached his vehicle. As he neared the car, the attacker fired multiple shots, injuring him in the leg. One of Sternenko’s companions tackled the assailant while another rushed him into the car to flee the scene. The woman, who resisted apprehension, was eventually restrained and photographed with her face covered and hands behind her back.

Harrowing footage taken by CCTV shows a woman standing outside a residential building as the activist walks towards his car

Sternenko later confirmed the attack through a Telegram post, expressing gratitude to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), writing: “I was attacked. I was wounded. I am grateful to the SBU for their quick response. If not for them, I wouldn't be able to write anything anymore. They quite literally saved my life.”

The SBU identified the attacker as a 45-year-old woman originally from Odessa but living in Kyiv. Investigators revealed she had been remotely recruited by Russian intelligence services in late 2023 while searching online for fast money-making opportunities. After completing minor surveillance tasks, including photographing and monitoring vehicles, she was instructed to move to Kyiv and track Sternenko’s movements.

She immediately opens fire on Sternenko, but is apprehended seconds later by one of his companions

According to the SBU, from mid-April she began following Sternenko. Eventually, she was directed to collect a pistol and ammunition and given specific instructions to assassinate him near his residence. Investigators stated she already knew his car model and his routine, which enabled her to position herself for the ambush.

The SBU said she was 'recruited remotely by Russian special services late last year when she was looking for a "quick way to make money" on the internet'

She was later given instructions on where to pick up a pistol and ammunition, before being told to kill the activist near his home on May 1

Sternenko was shot in the leg, and the attacker was detained immediately by Ukrainian security forces present in the area. Authorities recovered a mobile phone containing evidence of communication with Russian operatives, and components of a homemade explosive device stored in another apartment. The woman now faces up to 15 years in prison.

The attacker is then seen struggling as the man disarms and detains her

SBU officials confirmed that operational and investigative efforts are ongoing to fully uncover the extent of the plot and all individuals involved.

Serhii Sternenko is a prominent figure in Ukraine’s civil society, boasting over two million subscribers on YouTube and more than 840,000 followers on Telegram. A former lawyer, he has been a major fundraiser for the Ukrainian military, helping supply over 550 military units and playing a significant role in promoting first-person view (FPV) drones used in combat.

The SBU said the detainee was a 45-year-old woman from Odessa who lived in Kyiv

In January 2024, he launched the Sternenko Community Foundation, which has since funded the purchase of more than 176,000 drones. Due to his outspoken activism and work supporting Ukrainian defense, Sternenko has been the target of multiple assassination attempts.

The Sternenko Community Foundation, set up in January, has raised enough to purchase over 176,000 drones

He was previously attacked during the 2014 Maidan Revolution, where he sustained injuries from pro-Russian aggressors. In 2018, he was beaten with a bat and survived an attempted shooting. Later that year, he fatally stabbed one of two attackers during another assault. Though he was charged with premeditated murder and illegal weapons possession, the charges were dropped in 2023.

This latest attempt on his life underscores the ongoing risks faced by high-profile Ukrainian activists and the reach of Russian intelligence operations amid the ongoing conflict.