Russian Helicopter Major Killed in St Petersburg Car Blast; Ukrainian 'Kill List' Link Cited

A Russian serviceman listed on Ukraine’s Myrotvorets database was killed when his car exploded in St Petersburg on 27 August, the latest in a series of targeted attacks that Kyiv’s security services have conducted inside Russia since the full-scale invasion began.

The victim was identified by Russian media outlets as Major Sergei Siechkov of the 332nd Helicopter Regiment, a unit stationed near St Petersburg. His father confirmed the death to the independent outlet Agentstvo. News Source: Ukrainska Pravda.

Siechkov’s wife, Anna, who was in the passenger seat at the time, was hospitalised with injuries. The couple lived roughly 100 metres from the blast site, according to the Russian investigative outlet ASTRA.

The Myrotvorets Connection

Siechkov’s name had been published on Myrotvorets — a Ukrainian-run website that maintains a public list of individuals considered enemies of Ukraine, usually military personnel, separatists, and journalists. The site’s entries often include personal data, and several people listed on it have been killed or wounded in attacks inside Russia since 2022.

Ukrainian Telegram channels, including Supernova+ and Exilenova+, immediately flagged Siechkov’s appearance on the database. Supernova+ wrote: “Major Sergei Siechkov was probably killed in St Petersburg yesterday. He was listed in the Myrotvorets database with the rank of major.”

Russian media reported that a 24-year-old Russian woman recruited by Ukrainian intelligence carried out the attack. The claim has not been independently verified, and Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the operation. The woman’s name and current whereabouts remain unknown.

A Pattern of Targeted Attacks

The St Petersburg blast is not an isolated event. On the night of 28–29 August, a car belonging to Dmytro Nieielov, the first deputy head of the Olenivka penal colony in occupied Donetsk, was also targeted by an explosive device. Ukrainska Pravda confirmed the attack, citing sources in the security services Source: Ukrainska Pravda. Nieielov, who has been linked to the torture and humiliation of Ukrainian prisoners of war, had been served a notice of suspicion by Ukraine’s Security Service and Prosecutor General’s Office in spring 2026. His condition is unknown.

Though Kyiv rarely claims responsibility for such operations, the pattern is clear: Ukrainian intelligence has repeatedly struck at individuals it considers legitimate military targets, particularly those involved in war crimes or listed on the Myrotvorets database.

What This Means for the War

For the Ukrainian Desk audience, the attack on Siechkov underscores a strategic shift that has been unfolding for months. Ukraine’s ability to strike inside Russia — whether with drones, sabotage, or targeted assassinations — has become a routine part of the war. It forces the Russian military to divert resources to protect personnel behind the front lines, and it sends a message to those serving in the occupation forces: even in St Petersburg, you are not safe.

Major Siechkov was a helicopter officer, though his specific role in the war is not publicly known. The 332nd Helicopter Regiment is a transport and support unit, but its personnel have been involved in logistics and possibly evacuation missions in the war zone.

According to the Russian outlet 78.ru, Siechkov had previously reported to his superiors that he was on a “kill list” and habitually checked his car for explosives before driving. That precaution proved insufficient.

Open Questions

Several questions remain unanswered. Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed or denied involvement in the St Petersburg attack. The identity and fate of the alleged female recruiter are unclear. And it is not known whether the Olenivka explosion and the Siechkov killing are part of a coordinated campaign or separate operations by different Ukrainian units.

What is certain is that the war inside Russia — both in border regions and in cities far from the front — is intensifying, and that the Myrotvorets database continues to serve as a de facto target list for Ukrainian intelligence.