Ukraine

Ukraine Foils Alleged Russian Plot to Assassinate Zelenskyy

MAY 7 2024·Updated MAY 20 2024

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The Facts

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced on Tuesday that it had foiled a Russian plot to assassinate Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials.
The Washington Post
Two unnamed colonels from the SBU's government protection unit have been arrested. Ukraine claims the duo are members of a group of covert agents working for the Russian State Security Service.
Politico
The colonels are accused of "subversive activities against Ukraine in exchange for financial compensation" and have been charged with treason. One of them is also charged with preparing a terrorist act.
CNN
Other targets of the suspected assassination plot included Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, and Vasyl Malyuk, the chief of the SBU.
Sky News
The colonels were allegedly tasked with finding "executors" among Zelenskyy's bodyguards to kidnap and assassinate him. Budanov and Malyuk were reportedly intended to be killed before May 5, the Orthodox Easter Sunday.
BBC News
Zelenskyy claims that he has survived more than 10 assassination attempts since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Al Jazeera

Sources Split

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The Spin

Pro-Ukraine narrative

Kyiv has successfully foiled yet another plot by the Russians to assassinate Pres. Zelenskyy. Although plots like this one underscore the country's vulnerability in the face of Russian aggression, the skill and vigilance of the Ukrainian security services has again safeguarded the nation's leadership.

Ukrainska Pravda

Pro-Russia narrative

Claims by Ukrainian security services of "foreign intelligence conspiracies" to assassinate Zelenskyy are unequivocally false. While Kyiv has attempted to implicate Russia in these alleged plots, such accusations are groundless as the Kremlin has no plans to eliminate the Ukrainian president.

TASS