Russia's persistent shadow war: The ongoing assassination attempts against Zelensky
13 May 2024 09:17
Ukrainians have thwarted another group of Russian agents preparing an assassination attempt on President Volodymyr Zelensky. Since the war began, the Kremlin's services have been targeting his life.
The first two weeks of the war were particularly perilous. In just the first two days of the conflict, there were five assassination attempts. None succeeded, though President Zelensky was seriously endangered multiple times, notably on February 24, when he aimed to counter Russian propaganda claims that he had fled Kyiv by recording videos in the streets of the capital.
At that moment, the president's security team faced immense challenges, especially with dormant sabotage groups within the city that Ukrainian counterintelligence was gradually neutralizing.
In those early days, the "hit list" also included brothers Volodymyr and Vitali Klitschko, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and critical service officials - Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.
Over time, the list expanded to include local leaders of the occupied territories and community figures.
One of the most important methods of warfare
On March 18, 2022, Oleksandr Shapoval, the mayor of Berislav, and a local activist were abducted. On March 22 of the same year, the Russian military abducted Oleksandr Kniga, the director of the drama theatre in Kherson. A week later, in Hola Prystan, the Russian forces kidnapped eight individuals, including the mayors of Hola Prystan and Stara Zburivka.
The Russians employ tactics reminiscent of those used by the Bolsheviks during the wars of 1917-1923 - eliminating local leaders to strip communities of guidance and installing their operatives to secure compliance.
