The recent foiling of a Russian plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is just one of several attempts on the president’s life that have been thwarted by Ukraine’s intelligence and security services.
In an interview last year the head of military intelligence Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov revealed that Ukrainian intelligence agencies had foiled several attempts on Zelensky’s life.
🔴Ukrainian security forces have thwarted an assassination scheme targeting President Volodymyr @ZelenskyyUa, leading to the arrest of five individuals allegedly linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service (@RUS_FSB).https://t.co/77GW9oFEU4
— TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) May 7, 2024
Budanov stated “Several times they seriously prepared certain operations: very seriously, carefully planned they carried out preparatory measures.”
His remarks followed the detention of a Ukrainian woman who was allegedly spying on Zelensky’s location for Russia when he visited an area affected by the Kakhovka Dam explosion last summer.
The most recent assassination plot broken up by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) on Tuesday involved two senior officers both colonels in the Department of State Security. The plan allegedly called for suborning members of Zelensky’s personal protection detail to kidnap and later assassinate him under the cover of Russian missile and drone strikes.
The ongoing attempts on Zelensky’s life underscore the persistent danger faced by the Ukrainian president as he leads his country’s effort to fight off Russia’s aggression. The vigilance of Ukraine’s intelligence and security services has been critical in protecting Zelensky and other top officials from these assassination attempts.
