Ukrainian counterintelligence authorities announced the disruption of a Russian conspiracy to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the SBU revealed the existence of a network of operatives orchestrated by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), with the objective of targeting Zelenskyy and other prominent Ukrainian political and military figures.
The SBU disclosed that two colonels from the State Guard of Ukraine, responsible for safeguarding high-ranking officials, were apprehended on suspicion of collaborating with Russia to carry out the plot.
According to the statement, Russia had been actively seeking individuals with connections to Zelenskyy’s security team, with recruitment efforts targeting the two colonels before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The colonels were allegedly assigned the responsibility of identifying a member of the presidential guard who could potentially seize Zelenskyy and subsequently carry out his assassination.
However, the statement did not provide details regarding the specific timing of the thwarted plot.
SBU head Vasyl Maliuk reportedly stated that the plan aimed to execute an attack prior to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fifth-term inauguration, which took place on Tuesday.
Maliuk commented on the agency’s Telegram channel, stating, “The terrorist attack, which was supposed to be a gift to Putin for the inauguration, was indeed a failure of the Russian special services.”
He further mentioned that he personally supervised the covert operation to monitor the plot.
As of now, there has been no immediate response from Russia regarding these allegations.
According to the SBU, there was also a plan to “eliminate” Maliuk and Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the military intelligence agency.
The SBU stated that Budanov’s assassination was planned to occur before May 5, which is Orthodox Easter Sunday.
The individuals involved aimed to provide the Russians with information about Budanov’s whereabouts to facilitate missile and drone attacks at the location.
Additionally, one of the arrested men was allegedly involved in transporting and storing drones and explosives for the operation.
Last month, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors announced the arrest of a man suspected of aiding a Russian assassination plot targeting Zelenskyy.
In August, Ukrainian intelligence reported the arrest of a woman linked to a plot aimed at assassinating the Ukrainian leader by gathering information about his movements outside the capital, Kyiv.
Zelenskyy disclosed in 2022 that there had been at least 10 attempts to assassinate him as the conflict with Russia entered its third year.
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