Intelligence report

Own officers wanted to have Selensky killed

Zelensky is said to have already been the target of several attempted attacks.(Bild: AFP/Ukrainian presidential press-service)

The Ukrainian secret service has reportedly foiled an assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi planned by Russia and arrested two suspects. The suspects are apparently officers in their own ranks.

A "network of agents" controlled by the Russian secret service FSB, who were "preparing the assassination of the Ukrainian president", was broken up, the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service SBU declared on Tuesday.

Two Ukrainian colonels, who are responsible for protecting high-ranking state officials, were arrested. They are accused of passing on secret information to Russia.

One of the two colonels during his arrest(Bild: Telegram/SBU)

Head of secret service also targeted
According to the SBU, the attack plans were also directed against the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, as well as other "high-ranking representatives" from politics and the military.

According to the Ukrainian secret service, the group's plans were aimed at recruiting soldiers from President Zelensky's security service in order to "take him hostage and kill him". One of the members of the network had procured drones and explosives. Russia has been targeting Zelensky since the beginning of the offensive in Ukraine. According to Kiev, several assassination attempts have already been made against the president and other Ukrainian government representatives.

 Plans foiled again and again
In April, a man was arrested in Poland for allegedly planning to assassinate Zelensky. In August, the Ukrainian secret service reported the arrest of a woman who was accused of having supported Russia in planning an assassination attempt on Zelensky.