Olena Buturlim09:10, 05/27/24

For several months, the SBU observed the developers of the plan – two colonels of the State Security Department.

In May, it became known that the Security Service of Ukraine exposed a network of FSB agents who were preparing the assassination of high-ranking Ukrainian officials , including President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk, and head of the State Security Service Kyryl Budanov.

According to The Times , Budanov was planned to be killed during a coordinated missile-drone attack. However, for several months, the SBU monitored the developers of the plan: two colonels of the State Security Office (SSU). A third person was also under surveillance, who was suspected of working for the Federal Security Service (FSB).

They knew that the trio planned to kill Budanov and were watching the head of the SBU, Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, as well as Zelensky himself, a Ukrainian officer told the publication. According to him, during the preparation for the assassination attempt, the suspects brought rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a MON-90 anti-personnel mine and suicide drones to Kyiv.

The first suspect, named by a law enforcement source as Colonel Andriy Huk, is accused of having worked for the FSB since 2014. He allegedly recruited a second person, Colonel Oleksandr Derkach, and passed FSB orders to the group.

Detention of traitors

According to journalists, communication between the killer and his supervisors was intercepted by the SBU using powerful surveillance technologies. The SBU immediately informed Budanov about it. An armed response group pounced on the killer, and the SBU prepared a quick operation to clean up his alleged accomplices.

“Our goal was to make a simultaneous arrest so they couldn’t inform each other so they wouldn’t escape,” the officer said.

One colonel was at home in his Kyiv apartment, while the other was visiting friends in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine. Both were armed. In order to avoid a dangerous shootout, the SBU lured them out of the respective buildings by organizing an unexpected call to work.

Rapid response special forces in uniforms of regular patrol police stationed themselves at checkpoints on the specified route. In front of each suspect’s car, SBU officers staged a show, thoroughly searching each civilian car to emphasize that the stop was routine.

The first man was detained relatively easily. The second one did not park and showed his ID through the window. However, the policeman noticed that he did not see the document and came closer to the car to open the door and detain the man. The suspect tried to run away, but was apprehended.  

After that, armed groups searched the apartments of two UDO employees. There, they found explosives and drone components hidden in spare tires and a pile of firewood, as well as a cache with a secret phone, the counterintelligence officer said.

Both men confessed to the crime during interrogation. The phone contained records identifying the vehicles and routes taken by Zelenskyi and Malyuk, possibly in anticipation of a similar strike, as well as reports of their movements.

While under arrest, the colonels also released new information about an earlier Russian attempt to take Zelensky hostage at the very beginning of the war, the officer said.

“In February 2022, Agent Number One was tasked with identifying other state security officers loyal to Russia and killing those loyal to Ukraine in order to take the president hostage. They were to force Zelensky to make a video surrender and say there was no reason to fight – or they will kill him,” the suspect said.

In the early days of the invasion, the first colonel went so far as to gather the other presidential guards and tell them to lay down their arms when the Russians came. However, his security colleagues at the time saw such a suggestion as an emotional reaction to the intrusion and ignored them. Since he was senior in rank, they did not object to him. After his arrest, when they realized that he was acting on the orders of the FSB, they were shocked.

Reasons for cooperation with the Russian Federation

“Huk’s family, who fled to Europe and have strong pro-Ukrainian views, were devastated by his arrest. “He lied to them all. His wife thought that her husband was defending his country, his children thought that their father was a Ukrainian hero,” the officer added. However, he was born in Russia, which may explain his alleged betrayal. In a video of the interrogations published by the SBU, he said, who received $3,000 a month from the Russian FSB, as well as an additional $1,000 for travel to carry out their orders. Most of this amount was allegedly paid to him and his family during visits to Europe,” the article said.

The authors, referring to the SBU, emphasize that the second officer – Derkach – participated simply for the sake of money and hoped that Huk, who was senior in rank, would help his career prospects.

Activation of Russian spies

According to journalists, the architect of the new aggressive strategy of the FSB is considered to be the deputy director of the department, Sergei Korolev – a favorite of Putin, who reportedly has deep connections with the Russian mafia. In the dossier on him, provided to The Times by the Ukrainian GUR, he is called “Putin’s wolfdog.” His task is to gather information about other members of the Russian government and eliminate potential competitors. He is an enigmatic character, born in Kyrgyzstan, in his late 60s, and prefers to work in the shadows.

GUR accuses him of organizing the last attempt as a gift to Putin on the eve of the planned celebration on May 9. The SBU said that the attempt was approved and coordinated personally by FSB director Oleksandr Bortnikov.

In total, the SBU has already exposed about 2.5 thousand Russian agents in Ukraine. However, the Security Service adds that there is actually no pro-Russian movement in today’s Ukraine. Russian special services are very powerful, but so far the SBU outplays them.

An attempt on Ukrainian high-ranking officials – details

In early May 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it had uncovered a network of FSB agents who were preparing the assassination of the President of Ukraine and other representatives of the country’s top military and political leadership. The agency network had to implement the plans. The network, whose activities were overseen by the FSB from Moscow, included two UDO colonels.

After the disclosure of this information, the president dismissed Serhii Rudy from the post of head of the State Security Office of Ukraine. He held this position since October 2019.

(C)UNIAN 2024