Bashkir activist Ruslan Gabbasov said he was the target of an assassination plot that was recently foiled by Lithuanian security services. He made the statement in a video address after multiple European media outlets reported on the operation.
Greek outlet Voria reported on April 7 that law enforcement had thwarted the planned killing of a 46-year-old Russian activist — a native of one of Russia’s republics who had been granted political asylum in Lithuania. Those details match Gabbasov’s biography.
Gabbasov said the Lithuanian intelligence services had disrupted preparations to kill him more than a year ago, though in the interest of the ongoing investigation, details were not disclosed at the time. After the recent media reports, Gabbasov said he could now confirm that Russian intelligence services had been preparing an attempt on his life. He also claimed that there had previously been Kremlin efforts to compel him to return to Russia, including via pressure exerted on his brother.
In 2023, Gabbasov’s brother, Rustam Fararetdinov, was arrested in Ufa on charges of assisting terrorist activity. At the time, Gabbasov said Russian security services had effectively proposed an exchange: his brother’s release in return for his own return to the country.
Gabbasov said that on the day the attack was allegedly planned, a hitman was waiting for him near his home as he returned with his wife and 5-year-old son. He linked the plot to his political activities, including his involvement in the Free Nations League and his advocacy in favor of the decolonization of Russia.
He also wrote on his Facebook page that he had found an Apple AirTag tracking device under the hood of his car. According to the activist, the group used it to monitor his movements.
Ruslan Gabbasov is a political activist and one of the leaders of the Bashkir national movement abroad. He is the founder of the Bashkort organization, which has been designated as “extremist” in Russia. Gabbasov himself faces criminal charges in Russia and has been added to the country’s register of “foreign agents.” He was granted political asylum in Lithuania in 2022.
Earlier this week, the Greek outlet Voria and the Lithuanian outlet Delfi reported that a 55-year-old man had been detained in Thessaloniki on suspicion of involvement in preparing a double killing in Lithuania in the interests of Russian intelligence services. According to the report, he helped finance the operation by transferring €5,000 through intermediaries. Investigators believe the perpetrators were to be paid up to €40,000.
According to investigators, members of the group conducted surveillance on the intended victims, gathered information, and installed tracking devices. A court in Greece has already approved the suspect’s extradition to Lithuania, but he is appealing the decision. The investigation is ongoing.
