Zelenskyy could face assassination attempts as Putin reportedly lifts ban - Russian media
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Getty Images)
Russia's Security Council allegedly decided during a closed-door meeting to lift an unofficial ban on assassinating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leadership of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the Russian outlet MK.
According to Russian sources, during the closed-door meeting, security officials demanded that previous agreements not to target Ukraine's leadership be abandoned.
The reason cited was the ongoing drone attacks on Russia's Leningrad region, particularly the port of Ust-Luga.
Participants in the meeting concluded that the strategy of passive defense was ineffective.
In their view, even the funds allocated are insufficient to protect the entire territory from drones, while retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian bridges and energy infrastructure have failed to stop attacks on Russian enterprises.
As a result, Russia's security officials allegedly proposed switching to targeted killings of those who issue orders, also arguing that reaching an agreement with Kyiv is impossible under the current leadership.
Russian sources claim that intelligence services and the air force could receive authorization to use heavy hypersonic weapons against bunkers and motorcades carrying Ukrainian leaders.
To destroy underground shelters, they propose using three-ton FAB-3000 glide bombs and Iskander ballistic missiles.
Russia also included Dmitry Minayev, head of the FSB's Counterintelligence Operations Department, in its delegation for trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.
The department was previously linked to an assassination attempt against Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate, back in 2019.
