Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claims to have thwarted a Russian plot aimed at assassinating President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian officials.
Two Ukrainian colonels from the government’s protection unit have been detained in connection with the scheme.
According to the SBU, these officers were part of a network of agents linked to Russia’s state security service (FSB).
They allegedly sought to recruit individuals within Zelensky’s security detail to abduct and murder him.
This plot stands out due to the involvement of active colonels responsible for safeguarding officials and institutions, allegedly working as double agents.
Targets also included Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence, and SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk.
The group reportedly planned to eliminate Budanov using rockets, drones, and anti-tank grenades before Orthodox Easter.
The SBU recovered various weapons, including an anti-tank grenade, from the suspects.
SBU head Vasyl Malyuk described the attack as intended as a “gift to Putin” before his inauguration. He emphasized the threat posed by Russian special services, cautioning against underestimating their capabilities.
The detained Ukrainian officials are held on suspicion of treason and planning a terrorist act.
The SBU alleges that three FSB operatives oversaw the operation, with one recruiting “moles” before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
While this plot reads like a thriller, it underscores the grave dangers confronting Ukraine’s leader during wartime.
The incident follows recent arrests, including a Polish national accused of cooperating with Russian intelligence to target Zelensky.
Ukraine’s condemnation of Zelensky’s inclusion on a Russian wanted list, along with the ICC’s warrant for Putin’s arrest, highlights escalating tensions amid the conflict.
