In April, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky spoke at a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine. alina smut ko/Reuters/File CNN【div】【/div】& mdash； Ukraine has detained two security officials who allegedly participated in a Russian plot to assassinate President Vladimir Zelensky, which the Kiev State Security Service (SBU) said was foiled. Two colonels of the Ukrainian government protection forces were accused of "subversive activities against Ukraine in exchange for economic compensation", the Office of the Attorney General of Ukraine said on Tuesday.
Both colonels were charged with treason; One of them was also accused of planning a terrorist act.
The prosecutor's office said that one of the suspects obtained two drones and ammunition from the Russian National Security Agency (FSB), and they planned to transfer them to another accomplice to carry out the explosion.
SBU said it had "foiled" a "positive development plan" to assassinate Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian officials, including the head of SBU Vasily Malyuk and the head of Ukraine's defense intelligence agency Kirilo Budanov.
SBU said: "One of the tasks of the agent network of the Russian Federal Security Service is to find criminals who may hijack the head of state and kill him in the army closely related to the president's security."
It is reported that Zelensky has faced several assassination attempts since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
In August 2023, a woman from Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine was arrested on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Zelensky. She was accused of collecting information about Zelensky's planned visit to Mikkola, so as to plan a Russian air strike to kill him. SBU said that the woman was caught red-handed when she tried to "pass information to intruders".
In April this year, a Polish man was accused of assisting another Russian plot to assassinate Zelensky. He was accused of "preparing to take action against foreign intelligence agencies in the Republic of Poland", a crime punishable by up to eight years' imprisonment.
The prosecutor said that the man agreed to provide Russian spies with information about the security of Rzeszów-Jasionka airport near the Ukrainian border in southeastern Poland. It is reported that Zelensky will use this airport when traveling abroad. The Ukrainian authorities exposed the plot, and the man was subsequently detained and prosecuted in Poland.
In addition to the assassination plot, Zelensky survived many times during his visits to Russian bombed front lines and cities.
During a visit to the coastal city of Odessa in March, a Russian missile exploded near the motorcade of Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis. The expert group felt the impact of the attack, which landed about 500 meters away from the motorcade and saw the smoke like a mushroom cloud. Although neither Zelensky nor Mitsotakis was injured, five people were killed in the attack.
This story has been updated.