Ukraine claims foiling Russian plot to assassinate Zelenskiy
- 7 May, 11:01
Ukraine has claimed foiling a plot by Russia to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other high-ranking military officials.
Ukraine’ Security Service, SBU said in a statement on Tuesday that it detained two Ukrainian security officers involved in a plot to assassinate Zelenskiy ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration on Tuesday. The security service said “the network, whose activities were supervised by the FSB from Moscow, included two colonels of the State Security Department who were leaking classified information to Russia.”
Other high-ranking officials whom Russia sought to assassinate are the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the State Administration of Ukraine Kyryll Budanov, according to SBU.
The SBU detained two colonels of Ukraine’s security service suspected of their involvement in the plot. According to the statement by the SBU, the “intruders” were possessed “relevant means of destruction” and other evidence of criminal activity. The State Security Service claimed that Zelenskiy’s possible assassination was to be a gift to Vladimir Putin ahead of his inauguration on Tuesday as the Russian leader renewed the oath of the office for the fifth time.
“But we must not forget - the enemy is strong and experienced, he cannot be underestimated. We will continue to work ahead of time, so that every traitor receives the well-deserved court sentences,” the SBU went on saying.
It should be noted that this was not the first assassination attempt on Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Last month, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors announced detention of a man suspected of aiding a Russian assassination plot on Zelenskiy. In addition, the Ukrainian Security Service said last August that a woman had been arrested for a plot to kill Zelenskiy by trying to uncover details of his movements outside Kyiv.
