Ukrainian authorities have arrested two Ukrainian colonels who were allegedly collaborating with the Russians to plot the assassination of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attempt was planned under the supervision of employees of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) as a gift to Vladimir Putin for his inauguration. The FSB was actively developing plans to eliminate Zelenskyy, with one of the tasks being to search for military members close to the president’s protection who could take him hostage and later kill him. The colonels had agreed to betray their country for $50,000, with promises of the amount increasing to $80,000.
Prior to their arrest, the colonels spied on Zelenskyy and provided information to the FSB on the presidential guard and the president’s movements. Ukrainian authorities managed to catch one of the colonels as he traveled to another region likely to collect weapons for the operation. An audio clip released by Ukrainian intelligence captured an exchange between the colonels and their handlers discussing weapons like drones, mines, RPG rockets, and anti-tank rockets. The handlers planned to carry out two missile strikes on Zelenskyy’s convoy, allowing the colonels to use their weapons to finish the assassination.
The plot put not only Zelenskyy at risk but also the head of the Ukrainian Intelligence agency GRU and the SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk. Malyuk emphasized that only a limited number of people knew about the operation to capture the colonels, which he personally handled. He stressed the importance of not underestimating the strength and experience of the enemy, pointing out that the terrorist attack, meant as a gift to Putin, was a failure thanks to the vigilance and efforts of the Ukrainian special services. Malyuk vowed to continue working to ensure that every traitor would face justice.
The audio clip revealed the involvement of the FSB in planning the assassination of Zelenskyy as an inauguration gift for Putin, who was holding his 6th inauguration. The FSB handlers discussed using a combination of missile and drone strikes to carry out the attack on Zelenskyy’s convoy, giving the colonels a window of time to escape before authorities intervened. Western leaders did not attend Putin’s inauguration, marking a further strain in relations between Russia and the West.
The Ukrainian authorities managed to foil the assassination attempt on Zelenskyy, preventing a potentially catastrophic event. The collaboration between the Ukrainian colonels and the FSB demonstrates the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian officials, led by SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk, stressed the importance of remaining vigilant and proactive in the face of security threats and vowed to continue working to ensure that those who seek to betray their country face justice. The failed plot serves as a reminder of the complex and challenging geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe, where tensions and rivalries continue to shape political dynamics.
