The warhead of the X-55 missile, Photo: Volodymyr Tarasov / UkrInform
Russian engineer Mikhail Shatsky, who was working on the modernisation of missiles aimed at Ukraine, was shot dead near Moscow. A source in the Ukrainian Defence Forces told The Kyiv Independent on 12 December.
According to the source, Shatsky’s liquidation was probably organised by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Who is Mikhail Shatsky?
Shatsky served as deputy general designer and head of the software department at the Moscow-based Mars Design Bureau, which is owned by the state-owned Rosatom. He was responsible for the modernisation of the X-59 and X-69 cruise missiles, which Russia is actively using in its war against Ukraine.
In addition, Shatsky was considered one of the leading advocates of the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies into Russian drones, aircraft and spacecraft.
Circumstances of death
Shatsky was found dead in the snow in the Kuzminsky forest park near the town of Kotelniki, Moscow region. This was first reported by Ukrainian-Russian opposition journalist Alexander Nevzorov on his Telegram channel. Nevzorov said that the GRU had “eliminated a particularly dangerous criminal” and shared photos of the body, which he said belonged to Shatsky.
Official statements
The source of The Kyiv Independent noted:
“Anyone involved in the development of the Russian military-industrial complex and supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a legitimate target of the Defence Forces.”
Ukrainian intelligence services have repeatedly been linked to the liquidation of pro-Kremlin collaborators or Russian military personnel in Russia or in the occupied territories of Ukraine during a full-scale war.
The Mars Design Bureau, where Shatsky worked, develops and manufactures automatic control and navigation systems for aviation and space. Its work was an important component of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
This liquidation demonstrates that Ukraine continues to operate beyond its borders, aiming to neutralise key figures involved in supporting the war.
