Pictured: Female ‘Russian spy’ who was detained over ‘plot to assassinate Ukraine’s
Pictured: Female ‘Russian spy’ who was detained over ‘plot to assassinate Ukraine’s President Zelensky in an air strike’
A suspected Russian spy has been detained after a plot emerged to kill Ukraine’s president in an air strike.
Official sources in Kyiv said the woman was caught ‘red-handed’ attempting to pass Volodymyr Zelensky‘s travel plans to the Kremlin.
She was intercepted the night before he was due to visit Mykolaiv province in southern Ukraine. If found guilty of espionage she faces a 12-year prison sentence.
Based on the inside information she obtained, Russia apparently intended to launch a precision missile, with the objective of killing Mr Zelensky.
Since the conflict began last year he has survived at least 12 assassination attempts, some of which were identified in advance by Western intelligence services.
The woman, pictured centre, was detained by Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) over an alleged plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky
President Zelensky, pictured at a NATO leaders summit in Lithuania in July, has survived 12 assassination attempts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022
Killing or capturing Mr Zelensky was a priority for Russia in the early days of the invasion, when it hoped to install a puppet regime.
He famously declined a US invite to be spirited out of Ukraine for his own safety, saying: ‘I need ammunition, not a ride.’
Since then further plots have emerged involving insiders and Chechen mercenaries.
The Wagner paramilitary group may also be planning a mission to eliminate Mr Zelensky.
The suspected spy is a resident of the fishing resort of Ochakiv, which is close to where the president was due to visit in July.
She is alleged to have used her connections locally to make enquiries about Mr Zelensky’s itinerary.
She also identified ammunition depots, electronic warfare installations and other Ukrainian military facilities.
The woman, who previously worked in a military clothing store, was arrested before the information was handed over.
She remains in custody.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the security service of Ukraine, which released footage of the arrest, said: ‘The SSU apprehended the traitor red-handed when she was trying to pass intelligence to the invaders.
‘To gather intelligence, the enemy agent drove in the target area, taking photos or video footage of Ukrainian facilities.’
Pictured: President Zelensky with Ukrainian service members during his visit to Ochakiv in Mykolaiv region last month
Her arrest and court appearance came as Russia continued its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities – but with only partial success due to the air defence systems provided by the US and Germany.
Russia denies targeting civilian infrastructure saying the damage to residential areas and medical facilities is caused by Ukrainian defence systems malfunctioning.
Meanwhile Poland is to send another 1,000 troops to its border with Belarus to counter the threat posed by Wagner.
Soldiers from the mercenary group have appeared near the border, potentially destabilising Nato’s eastern flank.
The number of persons trying to enter Poland from Belarus illegally has also risen in recent months.