Assassination attempt on Zelenskyy case: Polish man found guilty of spying for Russian intelligence
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
In Poland, a 50-year-old man has been found guilty of spying for Russian intelligence. In 2024, he assisted in organizing an assassination attempt on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a statement by Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the country’s special services coordinator.
According to investigators, the Polish national had previously expressed a desire to work for Russian intelligence and carry out its tasks. In particular, he was supposed to pass information to Russia about security at Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport in order to plan an assassination attempt on Zelenskyy.
In addition, the man declared his readiness to join the Wagner private military company and a military unit of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
The Zamość District Court found the man guilty on the charges brought against him and sentenced him to three years and six months in prison.
What is known about the assassination attempt on Zelenskyy
In June 2025, then head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk said that an assassination attempt on Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been planned in Poland.
The suspect turned out to be a Polish national, a retired serviceman who had been recruited by Russian special services decades earlier. The man "sincerely believed" in the idea of the Soviet Union, which is why Moscow activated him for its purposes.
The Pole’s goal was the physical elimination of President Zelenskyy at Rzeszów Airport. Several options were considered for this, including the use of an FPV drone or a sniper system. However, the assassination attempt was thwarted by SBU officers together with Polish law enforcement agencies.
In addition, Malyuk reported at the time another assassination attempt on Zelenskyy that was prevented in 2024. It was being prepared by members of the State Guard who were working for Russia’s FSB. They also planned to eliminate then head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously confirmed that assassination attempts were made on him at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to him, during one such attempt, people were killed inside the Presidential Office building.
