Police Probe Use of Silicone Mask in Assassination of Caucasus Crime Boss Yanis Yushev

Israeli police are investigating the assassination of Yanis Yushev, a reputed leader of the so-called Caucasus mafia, focusing on whether the killer used a special silicone mask to alter his appearance and avoid identification. The mask, which closely fits the face and makes the wearer look older, may have been employed to mislead security cameras and investigators. The killing took place in broad daylight near a restaurant Yushev frequented, with surveillance footage showing the shooter approaching, firing at close range, and fleeing within seconds, leaving no chance for Yushev to respond.

Authorities initially believed the assassin was unmasked and could be identified quickly, but now consider the possibility that the face seen on cameras was a disguise. Investigators are also exploring if the hitman was a foreign contract killer who received inside information from the restaurant about Yushev’s movements, enabling the precise timing of the attack. Efforts continue to trace the assassin’s route before and after the shooting and to understand how he escaped so rapidly.

Yanis Yushev, 40, from Hadera, was well known to police and considered a major intelligence target due to his alleged leadership of a criminal organization. Despite multiple arrests and investigations for serious crimes including shootings, grenade attacks, and arson, he had largely avoided significant convictions. This was not his first assassination attempt; his armored vehicle protected him from a shooting last year, and a trial is currently underway against two suspects caught near his home with a powerful explosive device.