Russia’s most recently failed attempt to assassinate Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been a key target for Russian invaders since the invasion began as he appears on camera and in public to condemn the Russian invasion. So far Zelenskyy has avoided over a dozen assassination attempts directed towards him.
UNIAN, the Ukrainian news agency, were told by Kyiv counter-intelligence sources that a team of 25 assassins, led by Russia’s secret service and accompanied by a Russian secret service agent, were on their way to Kyiv.
They were arrested by Ukrainian police on the border triangle between Ukraine, Slovakia, and Hungary, in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine. The group apparently had orders to infiltrate and sabotage other elements of the Ukrainian government as well as to kill the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Reports have also emerged that suggest the Ukrainian authorities were made aware of the attempt from a source within the Russian secret service itself.
Previous assassination attempts on Zelenskyy’s life have also been thwarted by the Ukrainian government. It has been reported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence that Zelenskyy had previously been targeted by members of the paramilitary organisation Wagner Group, who the Kremlin has long denied having any direct involvement with.
Intelligence reports claimed that the members had been given a ‘kill list’ with 24 names. Including Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Boxing champions Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir were also said to be on the list.
Much like the most recent attempt, the attack was sabotaged. On the 5th of March a 36-hour curfew was enforced in Kyiv so that soldiers could sweep the streets for anyone else involved with the Wagner Group organisation.
