Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has survived over a dozen assassination attempts since Russia launched an invasion of the country two weeks ago, according to one of his top advisers.
“We have a very powerful network of intelligence and counterintelligence, they track it all,” presidential adviser Mikhail Podolyak told Ukrainian Pravda.
“Our foreign partners are talking about two or three attempts. I believe that there were more than a dozen such attempts,” Podolyak said, referring to previous reports from a week ago.
Podolyak explained that he was unable to go into detail about the assassination attempts because the risks “have not disappeared,” but that Zelensky remains Russia’s main target.
“From a security point of view, I cannot talk about some things. These risks have not disappeared anywhere,” Podolyak said. “Western intelligence is right to say that the main target for Putin was Mr. Zelensky in terms of attacking the government quarter and trying to kill the country’s key manager.”
Last week, the Times of London reported that Zelensky had survived at least three assassination attempts by Russia-backed groups.
“President Zelensky has survived at least three assassination attempts in the past week, The Times has learnt. Two different outfits have been sent to kill the Ukrainian president — mercenaries of the Kremlin-backed Wagner group and Chechen special forces,” the outlet reported. “Wagner mercenaries in Kyiv have sustained losses during their attempts and are said to have been alarmed by how accurately the Ukrainians had anticipated their moves. A source close to the group said it was “eerie” how well briefed Zelensky’s security team appeared to be.”
