GUR reports successful survival of special operation.
The commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDC) is alive, according to Ukrainian media reports. The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of Ukraine reported on a special operation regarding an assassination attempt against him, which ultimately failed. It is worth recalling that on December 27, 2025, the RDC had announced the death of the unit's commander.
Recalling the initial report
Denis Kapustin, the founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), was reported to have died in Zaporizhzhia on the night of Saturday, December 27, with the organization initially confirming his passing. Although few details were provided at the time, it was stated that his death was caused by a Russian FPV drone attack while he was carrying out "combat missions."
Who was Kapustin?
Kapustin hailed from Moscow. His grandfather, Yefim Karpmansky, who was of Jewish descent, fought in the Great Patriotic War. In 2001, he moved to Germany, where he found like-minded skinheads and participated in attacks against migrants from North Africa and Turkey. During that period, he also made friends among Cologne football hooligans.
After some time, he returned to Russia and settled in the Perovo district of Moscow. There, he joined the CSKA supporters' group "Yaroslavka," participating in mass brawls. By 2008, he had raised approximately 150,000 rubles selling Thor Steinar clothing and launched his own brand, White Rex, which was also his pseudonym. The apparel gradually became popular within the extreme right, initially in Russia and later in Western Europe.
As German researcher of far-right movements Robert Klaus notes, Kapustin sought to create an international network of right-wing activists, connecting American and European neo-Nazis through his products. Another field where he made useful acquaintances was mixed martial arts (MMA) tournaments under the White Rex banner. One participant in these events was Maxim Martsinkevich, widely known as Tesak.
Kapustin moved to Ukraine in 2017 at the invitation of Sergei Korotkikh (Botsman), a close friend of Martsinkevich. He was welcomed there due to his support for the Maidan protests in 2014 and his funding of the Azov and Carpathian Sich battalions. In Ukraine, he also began organizing hand-to-hand combat tournaments, but a year later, he was arrested for selling amphetamines. It was likely then that he was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services; since 2021, he has reportedly been working actively for them under the guidance of Kirill Budanov, head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Founding and activities of the RVC
The RVC was formed in 2022 and comprised Russians who had relocated to Ukraine to fight on Kyiv's side. In Russia, Kapustin was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for attacks on villages in the Bryansk region, the organization of terrorist acts, attempted assassinations, and illegal trafficking of weapons and explosives.
Investigations showed that Kapustin had personally organized and participated in an attack on a village near Bryansk in March, resulting in two civilian deaths and two injuries. Furthermore, he had attempted a terrorist attack on oil facilities in the Volgograd region in 2022, which was thwarted by Russian intelligence.
Kapustin was also the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of Konstantin Malofeev, chairman of the board of the Tsargrad group. An improvised explosive device was placed in the businessman's car, but the tragedy was avoided. His reported death—and now his reappearance—marks a significant development in the conflict, given his influence over far-right groups and the recruitment of Russian volunteers in Ukraine.
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