Ukraine jails man for plotting to kill Russian reporter Babchenko

Ukraine said Saturday it had jailed a man who plotted an assassination attempt against a Russian journalist who sparked a worldwide outcry earlier this year by faking his own murder.
Ukraine security chief Vassyl Grytsak said a Kiev court had on Thursday sentenced Borys German , a Ukrainian citizen , to four- and- a - half years in prison after he was found guilty of helping to plot an attempt on the life of anti -Kremlin reporter Arkady Babchenko .
He said that German had pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the investigation .
Babchenko hit international headlines in May by faking his own murder in collaboration with the Ukrainian authorities .
Kiev sent shockwaves through Ukraine and Russia by announcing in May that Babchenko had been shot dead at his home in a contract - style killing .
But at a news conference the next day , Babchenko reappeared in person , stunning the world and sparking anger among journalists and press freedom groups across the globe .
Kiev came under heavy criticism for staging the killing , but insisted that it was the only way to prevent a real assassination .
German , a weapons manufacturer , was arrested in May on suspicion of organising a murder attempt against Babchenko , after allegedly being recruited by Russian secret services .
Oleksiy Tsymbaliuk, a former Ukrainian Orthodox priest who fought against pro -Russian separatists in Ukraine ’ s east , said he had been approached by German and offered money to kill Babchenko .
Babchenko had left Russia in February 2017 after receiving death threats .
He has contributed to a number of media outlets including Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta and is an avid blogger .
He has accused Russian authorities of killing Kremlin critics and unleashing wars in Ukraine , Syria and elsewhere .
Moscow has angrily denied any accusation of involvement in an assassination plot and said the staging of Babchenko ’ s murder was a “ provocation ” to discredit Russia .