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Foiled assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Zelensky
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) recently announced that it had successfully thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials. This revelation came following the arrest of two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels who were allegedly part of a network of agents belonging to the Russian State Security Service (FSB). The individuals had been actively seeking “executors” among Mr. Zelensky’s bodyguards in order to carry out the kidnapping and subsequent murder.
This plot comes in the wake of previous attempts on President Zelensky’s life, including an incident in February 2022 where Russian paratroopers tried to land in Kyiv in an effort to assassinate him. Since then, the Ukrainian leader has been vocal about being Russia’s “number one target”. However, this particular scheme is particularly alarming due to the involvement of serving colonels who were responsible for the safety of officials and institutions, now accused of acting as moles for the Russian intelligence agency.
In addition to President Zelensky, other targets of the assassination plot included military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov and SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk. The group had reportedly planned to carry out the attack on Mr. Budanov before Orthodox Easter, using a mole to gather information about his location and coordinating the strike using rockets, drones, and anti-tank grenades. One of the arrested officers had even purchased drones and anti-personnel mines in preparation for the attack.
SBU head Vasyl Malyuk described the planned attack as a “gift to Putin before the inauguration” and emphasized that although the operation was unsuccessful, the threat from the Russian special services should not be underestimated. The two Ukrainian officials are currently being held on suspicion of treason and preparing a terrorist act, while three FSB employees who oversaw the organization and execution of the attack are also implicated.
The investigation into the plot revealed that one of the FSB employees had been recruiting moles even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Another FSB employee had allegedly held secret meetings in neighbouring European states before the invasion, further underscoring the level of coordination and planning involved in the assassination attempt. Interrogations with the suspects revealed that they had been paid thousands of dollars directly or indirectly through their relatives.
