Journalist Yevhen Plynsky reports on assassination attempt

Journalist Yevhen Plynsky announced that a criminal case is being investigated regarding an attempt to organise an attack on him. According to law enforcement agencies, the owners of the Russian gambling business Pin-UP are behind the crime.

How did the assassination attempt come to light?

On 25 February, the State Bureau of Investigation opened a criminal case No. 62025000000000217 under Article 345-1 Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (“Погроза вбивством, насильством або знищенням чи пошкодженням майна щодо журналіста” (Threats of murder, violence, or destruction or damage to property against a journalist)). The basis for the investigation was the materials from a hearing at the Pechersk District Court, where the prosecutor read out the contents of Igor Zotko’s phone – the nominal owner of Pin-UP’s Ukrainian branch.

The correspondence revealed that in April 2024, Zotko, along with his business partners – Pin-UP Global CEO Marina Ilyina and her husband Dmitry Punin – had discussed a plan to attack the journalist.

What details have emerged?

According to the investigation, the beating of Plynsky was intended to be not only intimidating but also involve torture. Marina Ilyina demanded that the attackers beat information out of him:

• Who is the source of the leaks about Pin-UP’s activities?
• Who is the journalist in contact with in the gambling business?
• Who benefits from his investigations?

In turn, Igor Zotko proposed fabricating the motive for the crime: staging the attack not as revenge by the casino, but as a settlement by the tobacco industry. His “creative” plan included a detail – after the beating, the criminals were to scatter cigarettes around the victim to create a false impression for the investigators.

The journalist stated that his lawyers have already submitted the relevant materials to the SBI, and he intends to publicly cover the progress of the investigation.