Kathrine Frich
His decision to change uniforms made him a prime target.
When people switch sides during a major conflict, they often spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulder.
The past has a way of catching up with those who abandon their posts. Sometimes, the final blow comes from a completely unexpected source.
A sudden explosion
On the morning of August 13, a deadly blast rocked the occupied city of Sevastopol. Early reports suggested a bomb was hidden inside a local trash bin.
According to O2 the explosion killed a Russian military officer. The victim was soon identified as Robert Shagiev, according to Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels.
The news outlet Ukrainian Truth reported that his death was officially confirmed by the Book of Executioners project. Researchers noticed that his Russian tax identification number suddenly appeared on a list of invalid entries.
An unlikely suspect
Investigators quickly found their suspect. It was someone with zero military background. The Telegraph reported that authorities arrested Margarita Reut over the deadly attack.
The 32-year-old woman works as a prostitute and lives in the coastal city of Sochi. She now faces serious terrorism charges.
According to reports, she told investigators that she felt no remorse for the assassination.
She was already known to authorities for her outspoken political views. Police previously detained her on a train after a Ukrainian drone strike, where she shouted, “You deserved it, Russians!”
Switching sides
Shagiev had a long and complicated military history. He was born in Crimea in 1977 and served in the Ukrainian military for years.
By 2013, he had risen to the rank of commander. He took charge of the Zaporozhye, which was the only submarine in the Ukrainian fleet.
But everything changed when Russian forces moved into Crimea in the spring of 2014.
Facing the consequences
Ukrainian military leaders ordered Shagiev to move his submarine to the safe port of Odessa. He flatly refused to follow the command.
Instead, he stayed in Crimea and signed a new contract with the Russian military. He eventually became a deputy commander in the Black Sea Fleet.
His decision to change uniforms made him a prime target. Ukrainian Truth noted that officials in Kyiv officially considered him a deserter and wanted him on charges of high treason.
Sources: O2, Ukrainian Truth, Book of Executioners, The Telegraph, Telegram
