Ukrainian detectives stopped a plan by Russia to kill President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other important military and political leaders, the state security service of Ukraine announced on Tuesday.
Two high-ranking officers in Ukraine’s State Guard, who protect important people, were arrested for allegedly carrying out a plan made by Russia’s security service. The colonels were hired before Russia’s big attack on Ukraine in February 2022, as stated.
It said that the leader of the State Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, mentioned a plan for an attack before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fifth inauguration on Tuesday. Maliuk said he watched closely as the secret plan was followed.
Ukrainians have accused Russia of trying to kill Zelenskyy before. Zelensky said in 2022 that there have been at least 10 tries to kill him as the war with Russia goes into a third year.
Last month, prosecutors in Poland said they arrested a Polish man who was accused of being prepared to spy for the Russian military intelligence and plan to kill Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian government said that Russian spies were trying to find Ukrainian soldiers who work close to Zelenskyy’s security team. They wanted to capture the president and then kill him later. The operation was carried out from Moscow. It said who the three alleged Russian spies were who were part of the conspiracy.
The main idea was to find where important Ukrainian leaders were and attack them with rockets, drones, and missiles.
Two Ukrainian colonels were arrested for being disloyal to their country. If convicted, they could be sentenced to life in prison.