KILL LIST
Ukraine foils assassination attempt on Zelensky after Putin spies ‘tried to infiltrate bodyguards to kidnap & kill him’
The Russian suspect were allegedly trying to help Russia guide rocket strikes to kill high-ranking Ukrainian officials
UKRAINE'S spy agency says it thwarted a Russian assassination plot to "kidnap and kill" President Zelensky after Putin's spooks allegedly tried to infiltrate his bodyguards.
The SBU exposed a network of agents who it claims were preparing to "eliminate" the Ukrainian leader as well as other senior political and military figures.
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In a "inauguration gift to Vladimir Putin", Ukraine announced it had detained two colonels seeking to "assassinate Volodymyr Zelensky".
In a statement posted to Telegram, the SBU wrote: "The network, whose activities were supervised by the FSB from Moscow, included two colonels... who "leaked" secret information of the Russian Federation."
The suspects - from the Administration of State Security of Ukraine (UDO) - are suspected of treason.
They face life imprisonment if convicted.
The UDO is charged with providing security to state officials.
The colonels allegedly planned to use FPV drones, charges for RPG-7 portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket launchers and MON-90 anti-personnel mines.
They aimed to find a spy among Zelensky’s close presidential guard, said the SBU.
“The recruited agent was supposed to observe movements and transmit information.”
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They then allegedly planned to launch a missile strike at a Zelensky's safe house and follow this with kamikaze drone hits.
“After this, it was allegedly planned to launch another missile, including to destroy traces of the drone’s use.”
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One of the colonels was allegedly caught travelling to another region of Ukraine to collect drones and explosives.
And he was heard talking to his FSB ‘curator’.
The SBU also revealed the Russian spies were planning to "liquidate" the head of the SBU, Vasyl Malyuk, and the head of Ukraine's military intelligence wing (GUR), Kyrylo Budanov, along with other high-ranking officials.
According to Ukraine's spy agency, part of the foiled plot - including the planned kidnapping of Budanov - was supposed to happen before Russian Orthodox Easter on May 5.
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Spy chief Malyuk said: "A limited number of people knew about our special operation, and I personally monitored its progress,” said Malyuk.
“The terrorist attack, which was supposed to be a gift to Putin before the inauguration, was actually a failure of the Russian special services.
“But we must not forget - the enemy is strong and experienced, he cannot be underestimated.
“We will continue to work ahead of time, so that every traitor receives the well-deserved court sentences.”
Moscow's alleged Russian intelligence failure comes as Putin was today inaugurated as Russian president for the fifth time following his sham “victory” in the rigged March elections.
Last month, Poland arrested a man believed to be working with the Kremlin's security services to help plan the assassination of Zelensky.
A joint investigation, led by Polish and Ukrainian law enforcement, found he "established contacts with the Russian Federation directly involved in the war in Ukraine".
A statement said: "His tasks included the collecting and providing of military intelligence for the Russian Federation with information on the security of the Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport".
His intention was "to help Russian special services plan a possible attack" on President Zelensky," it added.
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Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said at the time: "This case is yet another proof that Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but also to the entire free world.
"The Kremlin's criminal regime is constantly trying to undermine European and global security."
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Previous assassination attempts on Zelensky
SINCE Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky has survived, and been subject to, a number of assassination attempts.
The first of those came just weeks after Russia broke through the border, following reports that Vladimir Putin allegedly instructed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to eliminate Ukrainian leaders.
In early March, Chechen commandos who were sent to assassinate Zelensky were quickly "eliminated" by Ukraine intelligence.
That same month, Russian Private Military Company Redut was ordered to infiltrate and eliminate the political leadership and the Ukrainian Secret Service by storming institutions in the Kyiv region.
More than one thousand fighters turned up, yet up to 90% of them were killed as the mission quickly failed.
In August 2023, it was reported that another alleged assassination attempt had been stopped.
Ukraine's security service arrested a woman suspected of gathering information on Zelenskyy's trip to the Mykolaiv region.
In April 2024, a Polish man, Paweł K, was arrested on suspicion of helping Russia to plan an assassination of Zelensky at Poland's Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport.
Despite conflicting reports on the number of assassination attempts on Zelensky, Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has revealed there have been "more than a dozen attempts".