The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has declared the thwarting of a Russian plan to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior officials, highlighting the continual dangers facing the Ukrainian leadership during the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The foiled operation, orchestrated by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), included the recruitment of two colonels from the State Guard of Ukraine, an agency responsible for the protection of top officials. These individuals were charged with seeking executors within Mr. Zelensky’s bodyguards, potentially to take him hostage and ultimately to execute him.
The SBU reported that the plot not only targeted President Zelensky but also aimed at Major General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, and Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the SBU. According to the SBU’s account, the assassins had plans to use drones and anti-tank grenades, having already acquired such devices in preparation for the attack.
The timing of the planned assassination was reported to be strategically set before the Orthodox Easter and the inauguration of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a fifth term. Vasyl Malyuk, the head of SBU, described the disrupted plot as “a gift to Putin before the inauguration” that ultimately became “a failure of the Russian special services.”
The SBU has emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant, as the threat from a “strong and experienced” enemy should not be underestimated. This sentiment reflects the broader context of the war in Ukraine, where assassination attempts against President Zelensky have been an ongoing concern. According to President Zelensky, there have been at least 10 attempts on his life since the war’s escalation.
The identities of three FSB employees allegedly overseeing the plot have been disclosed, with reports of clandestine meetings in European countries prior to the invasion and efforts to recruit “moles” within Ukrainian ranks before February 2022. The SBU has detained the two Ukrainian officials on suspicion of treason and preparing a terrorist act.
Relevant articles:
– Russian plot to kill Zelensky foiled, Kyiv says, bbc.co.uk, 05/07/2024
– Ukraine says it foiled a Russian spy agency plot to assassinate President Zelenskyy, The Associated Press, 05/07/2024
– Ukraine claims it foiled Russian plot to assassinate President Zelenskyy, Al Jazeera English, 05/07/2024
– Zelensky Assassination Plot Foiled, Newsweek, 05/07/2024