A ’25-strong hit squad led by Russia’s secret service is rounded up near Slovakia-Hungary border’
- The latest ‘kill squad’ stopped by Ukrainian cops was ‘led by a Russian FSB agent’
- A 25-strong team of ‘trained killers’ was arrested in Uzhgorod, next to Slovakia
- They carried orders to sabotage Kyiv and kill President Zelensky, Unian reported
- It follows more than a dozen attempts to assassinate Zelensky so far during war
By ADAM SOLOMONS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 11:35 BST, 22 March 2022 | UPDATED: 12:42 BST, 22 March 2022
Russia’s latest attempt to assassinate Ukrainian president Zelensky was foiled after a 25-man hit squad was arrested on the border with Slovakia, Kyiv has claimed.
A team of more than two dozen trained killers was rounded up by police in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine, while on their way to Kyiv last night, Bild reported.
Kyiv counter-intelligence sources told news agency Unian the men were accompanied by a Russian secret service agent.
They reportedly carried orders to kill Zelensky and infiltrate other elements of the Ukrainian government.
Uzhgorod borders neighbouring Slovakia and lies just a few miles away from Ukraine’s border with Hungary.
According to Unian, an anti-war faction within the Russian secret service itself tipped off Kyiv to the squad’s whereabouts, dooming the team.
The arrests appear to be just the latest unsuccessful effort to kill Ukraine’s leader, followed more than a dozen separate kill attempts since the Russian invasion began last month.
Zelensky has become the face of his nation’s dogged and defiant war effort against invading Moscow.
But he has also made himself a key target for his nation’s invaders, with Wagner mercenaries entering the country yesterday to kill Zelensky, the Ministry of Defence reported.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak were listed as among the other alleged assassination targets.
The Kremlin has long denied ties to the bloodthirsty Wagner group, a 600-strong mercenary squad deployed worldwide in favour of Moscow’s interests.
Intelligence reports claimed the highly-trained fighters were waiting for the greenlight from the Kremlin to enter Ukraine.
Operatives were reportedly given a 24-person ‘kill list’, including Ukraine’s prime minister, the entire cabinet, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir – both boxing champions who have become iconic figures on the front lines of the capital.
The attack was sabotaged after the plans reached the upper echelons of the Ukrainian government, prompting Kyiv to declare a 36-hour ‘hard’ curfew on March 5.
According to Kyiv, this entailed keeping everyone indoors while authorities ‘swept the streets’ for Russian saboteurs.
Who would ever have guessed that some from the FSB would be helping Ukraine. I sometimes wonder if those assassination groups would ever have been successful without the tip-offs.
Actually I think it would raise Putin and his henchmen more paranoid. That’s great.. Don’t sleep Putin. Someone is going to slice your throat…
I’m not really surprised, the FSB (KGB) main threat is within Moskovia and they know it. They are also free to travel a lot and know Ukraine better than most. They also give very detailed reports and that means the truth got to the Fuhrer but he dismissed the truth, being Mr. Know-it-all you know. The FSB should also realize this war could now destroy their country and destroy them.
I am certain that at least some in the FSB know what this war – and all its trappings – is causing. They are obviously the ones who keep warning Zelensky about the assassination squads. Maybe they are doing more than we know and that the Ukrainians aren’t reporting. There is no doubt many things going on behind the scenes.