Malyuk: Last year, there were attempts to assassinate Zelensky in Kyiv and Rzeszów
In 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine prevented attempts on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , which were to take place in Kyiv on the territory of the President's Office and in Poland at the Rzeszow airport. This was announced by the head of the SBU , Vasyl Malyuk, during a meeting with journalists, a LIGA.net correspondent reports.
The assassination attempt on the president in Kyiv was prepared by two colonels of the State Security Directorate (SSD), who worked for the 5th Service (operational information and international relations service. – Ed.) of the Federal Security Service of Russia.
"They were looking for people and were supposed to carry out an assassination attempt during Zelensky's transition to the territory of the President's Office," Malyuk said.
The suspects in the case were detained. In addition to the president, they were preparing an assassination attempt on Malyuk and the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Kirill Budanov .
"On our part, it was a very difficult job. We were engaged in it for almost two years, essentially since the beginning of the war. We carried out a powerful intelligence and technical penetration into this group," said Malyuk.
According to the head of the SBU, after the failure of Russian agents in Ukraine, dictator Vladimir Putin removed Sergei Besida, head of the 5th FSB service, from his position, leaving him in the system as an advisor.
The assassination attempt in Poland, according to Malyuk, was prepared by a local military retiree who was recruited decades ago.
"He firmly believed in the Soviet idea and nurtured the intention over the years. So, he – this "can" – was activated," said Malyuk.
The agent's task was to physically eliminate Zelensky at Rzeszów Airport. Several options for carrying out the assassination were considered: using an FPV drone or a sniper complex.
The pensioner was detained with the help of the Polish Security Agency.
"The Polish colleagues worked professionally, it was our joint work with them," said Malyuk.
- On May 20, it was reported that Polish law enforcement officers had charged a man suspected of planning to assist the GRU (Russian intelligence) in preparing a possible assassination attempt on Zelensky.