Ukraine claims to have thwarted a Russian conspiracy to assassinate Zelensky
The Ukrainian Security Service has reported that it has uncovered a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to their findings, the plan involved targeting his convoy with missiles and drones. This incident is seen as yet another effort by Moscow to remove the Ukrainian leader from power.
The SBU agency has announced the detention of two high-ranking officers from the country’s Department of State Security, the department responsible for safeguarding the president. According to the SBU, these two individuals were part of a group of five agents who were involved in the plot, being directed by Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB. The agency reported that the group had intentions to eliminate SBU Chairman Lt. Gen. Vasyl Malyuk and the country’s top military-intelligence officer, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov.
Malyuk mentioned that the plot was intended as a “gift” for Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to his Tuesday inauguration for another six-year term. No response was provided by a Kremlin spokesperson when asked for comment.
“The terrorist attack…was actually a failure of the Russian special services,” Malyuk stated.
The alleged plot arises as Ukrainian forces, who are facing a disadvantage in terms of firepower and manpower, are gradually losing territory in the eastern region. They are eagerly anticipating new deliveries of weaponry from the U.S. In recent weeks, Russia’s army has taken control of several villages in the eastern Donetsk region and is now launching a direct attack on the strategically located city of Chasiv Yar.
The SBU stated that there were plans for a sequence of attacks on vehicles transporting Zelensky and other individuals of interest. Once the Russians obtained the coordinates, they would proceed to launch a missile strike. Then, one of the individuals monitoring the targets would utilize an FPV drone to neutralize any remaining individuals at the location of the explosion. It is speculated that a second missile strike may have been carried out by the Russians in order to conceal the drone’s presence and ensure the successful completion of the assassination.
An array of evidence was released by the Ukrainian security agency, including text messages, photos, an interview with one of the detained individuals, and an intercepted phone call with his alleged FSB handler. This evidence sheds light on the plot at hand. During the call, the purported FSB handler assured the individual that they would be compensated with a minimum of $50,000 for completing the task.
The agency did not disclose the identities of the detained Ukrainian individuals. It was stated that they held high-ranking positions in the Department of State Security.
According to Ukrainian officials, there have been multiple attempts on the life of Zelensky, the former comic actor who has emerged as a prominent figure in Ukraine’s war effort.
Last year, Budanov mentioned in an interview that Ukrainian intelligence agencies had successfully prevented multiple assassination attempts on Zelensky. However, he did not disclose the exact number of attempts.
“On multiple occasions, they diligently prepared certain operations: with great seriousness, meticulous planning, and thorough execution of preparatory measures,” he stated at the time.
His comments came after the arrest of a Ukrainian woman who was reportedly gathering information on Zelensky’s whereabouts for Russia during his visit to a region impacted by the Kakhovka Dam explosion last summer.
In the spring, Polish authorities apprehended an individual identified as Pawel K, alleging his involvement in a Russian conspiracy to target the Ukrainian president. According to the authorities, the man was sharing information with Moscow from Poland regarding an airport that is often utilized by the military and politicians from both the U.S. and Ukraine, including Zelensky and President Biden.
