In a dramatic twist to the ongoing investigation into the assassination of Ukrainian activist Iryna Zarutska, secret medical files leaked to reporters show her blood contained traces of an experimental drug previously tested on soldiers in classified overseas programs.
According to the leaked toxicology report, the compound — unnamed in the documents but described as a “neurological performance agent” — was identified in Zarutska’s bloodstream at levels investigators called “highly abnormal.” Forensic experts say the substance is not commercially available and is linked to controversial trials conducted on military personnel in conflict zones more than a decade ago.
“This isn’t something you find in prescription bottles or black-market drugs,” one medical source briefed on the findings told The Journal. “Its presence raises serious questions about who had access to it — and why it ended up in her system.”
Zarutska, a vocal critic of corruption and organized crime, was found dead under suspicious circumstances earlier this month. Initial reports suggested a targeted killing. The leak of her medical files now adds a disturbing layer: Was she deliberately dosed with a drug designed for military use?
Intelligence officials are refusing to comment, but former defense analysts warn the discovery could point to the involvement of actors with access to restricted biomedical stockpiles.
“This turns the case into something far more geopolitical than local,” a European security official remarked. “If verified, it would suggest methods of assassination tied to state-level resources.”
The revelation has ignited outrage among Zarutska’s supporters and renewed calls for an international investigation. Activists say the leak confirms what they long suspected — that her death was not only deliberate, but executed with tools far beyond conventional means.