Assassination Attempt on Top Ukrainian Commander Foiled, Khartiia Vows Battlefield Revenge

The commander of Ukraine’s 2nd Khartiia Corps, Col. Ihor Oboliensky, survived an assassination attempt Friday, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. In an exclusive comment to Kyiv Post, the Khartiia Corps said the attack would not weaken the unit or disrupt its operations.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We know that our enemy is insidious. We are ready to fight back, both on the front line and in the rear,” the corps’ press service said. “We will respond to the assassination attempt on the battlefield. We are holding the line.” On Friday, Zelensky said he had spoken with Oboliensky, whose call sign is “Kornet,” following the attack. “There was an assassination attempt on Ihor today. The attacker and his accomplice have been detained. The necessary procedural actions are underway.” The president said he had received a report on the case from Oleksandr Poklad, the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Neither Zelensky nor Khartiia disclosed where or how the attack took place, whether Oboliensky was injured, or who may have ordered it. Ukrainian authorities have also not released the identities of the two detained suspects or announced possible charges. Zelensky described the assassination attempt as a strike against Ukraine and one of its military commanders, promising a response. “We will definitely respond to this attempted strike against Ukraine and a Ukrainian commander,” he said, adding that he thanked Oboliensky for his service and urged him to strike the occupying forces “even harder.” Other Topics of Interest SBU Says Ukraine Struck Aircraft Plant in Crimea, Russian Port, Major Oil Refinery The SBU said the strikes were carried out in line with orders from President Volodymyr Zelensky aimed at reducing Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine. Just two weeks prior, Zelensky awarded Oboliensky Ukraine’s highest honor, the title of Hero of Ukraine, and presented him with the Order of the Gold Star during a ceremony marking Ukrainian Statehood Day on July 15. Who is Ihor Oboliensky? Oboliensky is a career military officer who has fought against Russian forces since 2014. He served in an artillery brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and later in the National Guard’s Omega special forces unit. In 2015, he was appointed commander of the 1st Battalion of the National Guard’s 4th Rapid Response Brigade and took part in combat operations near Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. He later commanded the 13th Khartiia Brigade, which grew from a volunteer formation created in Kharkiv following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The brigade became the foundation of the 2nd Khartiia Corps when Ukraine began transitioning its forces to a corps-based command structure. Oboliensky was appointed to lead the corps, which includes several National Guard brigades and operates in some of the most contested areas of the front. Kyiv Post recently joined Khartiia troops on a classified frontline operation – watch the full video here. Kateryna investigates today's most important topics, from geopolitical challenges and defense strategies to stories that change the course of events. She explores the secrets of Ukraine's intelligence services and shows the hidden side of global events. Her passion is uncovering secrets that change history. Born and lives in Kyiv.