Pictures and footage of former Ukrainian MP Illya Kyva who was murdered in Russia were released today by Ukraine’s security service SBU, showing him dead, and shortly before he dropped dead.

The SBU secret service made it clear that the images and footage were deliberately released as a warning to other Ukrainians working with Vladimir Putin’s invasion forces.

“This is a message to all traitors and war criminals who have gone over to the side of the enemy,” a Ukrainian source told the media. “Remember, Russia will not protect you… Death is the only prospect that awaits the enemies of Ukraine,” he added.

The release of the footage followed a statement from SBU spokesman Andriy Yusov, who told Ukrainian television that “we can confirm that Kyva no longer exists. This will be the fate of all Ukrainian traitors and puppets of the Putin regime.’

The release of images and video from the murder scene comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk to discuss efforts to crack down on those working with Russia, Ukrinform reported.

A Kremlin propagandist who appeared on state television, Kyva had claimed that Zelensky was an MI6 agent and a cocaine addict.

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Kyva was a former police officer and government official who led the Socialist Party in the Ukrainian parliament in 2017-19 and ran for the presidency of Ukraine in 2019, but then turned to Russia. He asked Putin for political asylum and a Russian passport.

The crime scene images were taken on the heavily guarded grounds of the Velich Country Club. The club is just 12 miles from Putin’s main official residence, Novo-Ogarevo, outside Moscow, and less than 30 miles from the Kremlin.

Kyva reportedly lived at the club, which had hotel facilities and “good security”.

A video, taken by the alleged shooter at the scene shortly before the shooting, shows him waiting among the snow and trees, waiting for a man to walk by.

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Russia’s Investigative Committee is now investigating the murder.

Kyva was sentenced earlier this year to 14 years in prison for high treason in a trial held in absentia, as Kyva had already fled to live in Russia.

Hours before he died, Kyva had predicted in his last social media post that a defeated Volodymyr Zelensky would be forced to flee to Britain.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak, commenting on Kyva’s execution, said that “regardless of the incident with Kyva, it is very important for everyone who actively cooperates with the Russian occupation administrations in one way or another to understand that their risks they are extremists, even if they are on Russian soil.”