Ukrainian Forces Foil Assassination Plot Against Zelensky
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksiy Danilov announced during a briefing Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had foiled an assassination plot against President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a Telegram post from Ukrainian authorities. “We are well aware of the special operation that was to take place directly by the Kadyrovites to eliminate our president,” Danilov said, per the post.
In the Telegram message, Danilov said that a unit of elite Chechen special forces, known as Kadyrovites, had been behind the plot and had subsequently been “eliminated.”
Ukrainian authorities had been tipped off about the plot by members of Russia’s Federal Security Service who do not support the war, he added. Danilov elaborated that the Kadyrovite group had been divided into two, with one being destroyed in Gostomel and the other “under fire.” According to a Ukrainian newspaper, Russian President Vladimir Putin last month directed the Chechen leader Kadyrov to carry out the assassination, the Washington Post reported. The Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, is a successor to the KGB.
1/2 I praise the approval by the #UN GA with an unprecedented majority of votes of the resolution with a strong demand to Russia to immediately stop the treacherous attack on 🇺🇦. I’m grateful to everyone & every state that voted in favor. You have chosen the right side of history pic.twitter.com/1sb0qjxXKs
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 2, 2022
Several reports and rumors of assassination attempts against Zelensky have emerged since Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday, when he warned that Russian “sabotage groups” had entered Kyiv and were hunting for him and his family. Zelensky has said since the start of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that he would be a prime target for assassination. Last Thursday,
"We desire to see our children alive. I think it's a fair one."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was met with a standing ovation from the European Parliament after a powerful speech that caused the EU translator on the English language feed to choke up with emotion. pic.twitter.com/kTlBGO6GEq
— CNN (@CNN) March 1, 2022
Neither the Chechens nor Putin has publicly commented on Ukraine’s claim that the Chechen forces were sent to kill Zelensky and were then killed themselves.
Once upon a time, four sons were born to Jewish Ukrainian parents. Three sons were murdered by the Nazis. One son survived.
The survivor’s grandson is now an international hero fearlessly confronting his country’s invaders. He is Volodymyr #Zelensky, President of #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/Evb3ePMso3— Steven Goldstein 🌻 (@StvenGoldstein) February 26, 2022