CNN: Russian assassination plot targeted Zelenskyy near presidential office

Volodymyr Zelenskyy narrowly survived a Russian assassination attempt in the earliest days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sources close to the Ukrainian president told CNN.

Russian agents reportedly rented apartments near the presidential office in Kyiv with orders to eliminate him unless he fled the country, a source says.

Zelenskyy’s removal was a key part of Russia’s plan to take over Ukraine – a project Moscow expected to complete in days. He was to be taken or killed, unless he ran away first.

As Russian tanks crossed the border in February 2022, rumors circulated that Zelenskyy had abandoned Ukraine. In response, the Ukrainian president posted a grainy video showing himself standing in the dark outside the presidency building, flanked by his top advisors, declaring simply: “We are here.”

As Ukraine prepares to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24, Zelenskyy remains in Kyiv, having survived not only multiple assassination attempts but also political upheaval. 

In the early days of the war, Zelenskyy’s survival instincts and sense of humour became symbolic of Ukraine’s defiance. Anecdotes circulated that when the United States offered to evacuate him from Kyiv, he responded: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

By Sabina Mammadli