Fire Point co-owner denies assassination attempt rumors

Denys Shtilierman, co-owner and chief engineer of the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, pushed back on October 1 against reports claiming he had been wounded and one of his bodyguards killed in an alleged assassination attempt near Kyiv. Shtilierman stated on X that "Rumors about my death, or the death of my bodyguards, are slightly exaggerated."

The initial reports were published earlier the same day by Russian-Israeli military journalist Serhiy Auslender, who cited an unnamed source and noted the information required further verification. Auslender claimed Shtilierman was lightly wounded, a bodyguard was killed, and the attackers were neutralized.

Shtilierman's social media post did not confirm or deny that an attack had occurred. A representative for Fire Point separately told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the assassination attempt reports were fabricated. The Kyiv Independent stated it could not independently verify the reports, and no Ukrainian authorities had officially confirmed such an incident.

Founded in 2022, Fire Point is a leading Ukrainian weapons manufacturer focused on drones and missiles. The company plans to complete development of its FP-9 ballistic missile, with a stated range of up to 850 kilometers, by the end of autumn. It is also finalizing the FP-7 ballistic missile, which has a range of up to 300 kilometers.

Fire Point has faced scrutiny due to its association with Timur Mindich, a former business associate of President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid a corruption investigation. Audio recordings released as part of the investigation appeared to confirm links between Mindich and Fire Point, which has denied any connection.