Secret Service of Ukraine, SBU, stated on Tuesday that they arrested several Russian agents suspected of plotting to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leading politicians.
The assassination attempt was intended as a gift to Putin ahead of his re-installation as president, reports say Kyivpost.
– The terrorist attack, which was intended as a gift to Putin before the installation, was actually a failure of the Russian special services, says Vasyl Malyuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Ukraine’s intelligence service, the SBU, said on Telegram that it has arrested several Russian agents suspected of plotting to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leading politicians. Ukraine’s intelligence chief Vasyl Malyuk and Kyrylo Budanov, head of the country’s military intelligence service, are also said to have been intended targets, Kyivpost reports.
The agents allegedly belonged to a specific network that was monitored by the Russian intelligence service FSB.
– A small circle of people knew about our special operation, which I personally supervised, says Malyuk.
Gift for Putin
Now additional information about the murder plans is emerging. According to Malyk, the assassination attempt on Zelenskyi should have been intended as a gift to Putin before his re-installation as president. On Tuesday, he was re-sworn in as Russia’s president for the fifth time and will remain in power for another six years.
– The terrorist attack, which was supposed to be a gift to Putin before the installation, was a failure of the Russian security service, Malyuk told Kyivpost.
The SBU told the newspaper that two associates of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UDO) are suspected of sharing information with the Russian security services, which then planned to have people close to Zelenskyi’s security team arrest the president and then execute him.
– We must not forget – the enemy is strong and experienced, it cannot be underestimated. We will continue to eliminate it, so that every traitor receives the legal punishment they deserve, says Malyuk.