Ukraine has announced that it has successfully thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
In an official statement released on Tuesday, the SBU revealed that it had uncovered a network of agents operating under the command of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). The objective of this network was to carry out the assassination of President Zelenskyy, as well as other high-ranking Ukrainian political and military officials. The SBU disclosed that two colonels from the State Guard of Ukraine, responsible for protecting top officials, were apprehended on suspicion of treason for their involvement in the Russian plot.
According to the statement, Russia had been actively working to identify individuals within President Zelenskyy's security detail. The two arrested colonels were recruited prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Their mission was to find someone within the presidential guard who would be willing to take President Zelenskyy hostage and subsequently carry out his assassination.
The SBU did not provide further details regarding when the alleged plot was foiled.
SBU head Vasyl Maliuk, quoted in the statement, described the plot as an attempted terrorist attack intended as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of his fifth term inauguration, which took place on Tuesday. Maliuk personally oversaw the classified operation to track and prevent the plot from being executed.
As of now, there has been no response from Russia regarding these allegations. The SBU also revealed that there was a separate plan to "eliminate" Maliuk and Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the military intelligence agency. The assassination of Budanov was scheduled to occur before May 5, Orthodox Easter Sunday. The arrested individuals were allegedly involved in providing the Russians with information about Budanov's whereabouts, enabling them to carry out missile and drone attacks at the targeted location.
Additionally, one of the arrested individuals was implicated in the transportation and storage of drones and explosives for the operation.
Last month, it was revealed by Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors that a man had been apprehended under suspicion of assisting in a Russian assassination scheme targeting Zelenskyy.
In August, Ukrainian intelligence disclosed that a woman had been detained for her involvement in a plot to assassinate the Ukrainian leader by gathering information about his whereabouts beyond the capital city, Kyiv.
Zelenskyy stated in 2022 that there have been no less than 10 assassination attempts against him as the conflict with Russia continues into its third year.
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