KIEV, Nov. 12 ??“ An unknown assailant allegedly tried to assassinate a former security service colonel late Friday hours after the colonel had accused Ihor Drizhchaniy, SBU security service chief, of abusing authority and corruption.

The masked assailant shot repeatedly from a short distance, but missed, while allegedly trying to hit Valentyn Kryzhanivskiy in downtown Kiev. The colonel fell, returned fire, but also missed, letting the assailant to run away, NTN television reported.