2024 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations

Last updated

2024 Ukrainian coup attempt
Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
2024 Ukrainian Coup Ringleader.png
Image of the alleged primary ringleader taken by the SBU
Date1 July 2024;7 months ago (2024-07-01)
Location
Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk
Result Coup failed, Security Service arrests plotters
Belligerents

Flag of Ukraine.svg Government of Ukraine

Flag of Ukraine.svgFlag of Russia.svg Russophiles [ clarification needed ]
Supported by:
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia (per Ukraine) [1]
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the President of Ukraine (detailed).svg Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Standard of Ukrainian Security Service Head.png Vasyl Malyuk 		Four unnamed activists
Casualties and losses
Unknown Two leaders detained

On 1 July 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that it had foiled a pro-Russian attempt to overthrow the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by members of a Kyiv-based NGO. [2] [3] [4] [1]

Contents

Background

In February 2024, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine said that a coup may be attempted in the spring of 2024. [5] [6]

In May 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested two army colonels who were engaged in a plot to kidnap Zelenskyy and deliver him to Russian President Vladimir Putin, or, should that prove too difficult, assassinate him. [7] [2] [8]

Events

The SBU announced that the plotters were preparing to detain the government and "announce the ‘removal from power’ of the current military-political leadership of Ukraine" before then seizing the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's national parliament) to prevent its ability to respond. [2] [4] [3] The SBU then published photos of the four ring leaders who had been arrested, with their faces blurred, stating that they were all residents of Ivano-Frankivsk and known pro-Russian agitators who had a history of attending anti-government protests. [2] [1] The SBU also reported that they had seized a cache of assault rifles, sniper rifles, handguns, ammunition, laptops, mobile phones and hand-drawn coup instructions. [2] The centerpiece of the plot was to trigger a riot on June 30 as a distraction to seize control of various buildings. [2] [9] They also planned to storm the Verkhovna Rada building. [10] [11]

The plotters plans outlined spreading false information throughout the country via social media "to destabilise the socio-political situation within [Ukraine], which would play out in favour of the Russian Federation." [2] [3] The plotters were spread throughout the country, operating in cells of no more than three, and communicated to one another through instant messaging via Telegram. [2] The leader of the plot stated that they would have organized as a "Veche" and would have sought public support. [2] The plotters had rented a hall in Kyiv that could accommodate upwards of 2,000, and were supposedly in contact with elements of the military and several mercenary groups to recruit them to their cause. [3] [9] The SBU said that as well as mobilising in Kyiv, the coup plotters had grassroots organisations in Dnipro and other Ukrainian cities. [2]

The office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general said the alleged leader of the plot is a head of a non-governmental entity, who had "the experience of participating in fruitless provocative events" prior to the coup attempt. [9]

Four suspects have been identified and two currently are in the SBU's custody. They face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. [12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Santora, Marc (1 July 2024). "Ukraine Says It Foiled Another Russian Plot to Topple the Government". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024– via NYTimes.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kilner, James. "Ukraine foils 'Russian-backed coup'". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Talmazan, Yuliya (2 July 2024). "Coup attempt thwarted in Ukraine, Security Service says, as Hungary's Orbán arrives in Kyiv for talks". NBC . Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 Saric, Ivana. "Ukraine's security service foils coup attempt". Axios . Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "Ukraine's intelligence committee fears attempt will be made in spring to overthrow Zelenskyy". Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  6. ↑ "Ukrainian intelligence anticipates coup attempt this spring". Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Kilner, James (7 May 2024). "Ukraine arrests two security officials over plot to assassinate Zelensky". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  8. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/07/ukraine-zelensky-assassination-plot-arrests/
  9. 1 2 3 Knight, Mariya; Harvey, Lex (2 July 2024). "Ukraine says it thwarted a plot to overthrow the government". CNN . Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Ukraine foils Russian-backed coup attempt – DW – 07/01/2024". Deutsche Welle . Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". MSN . Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ↑ "Ukraine's Security Service Thwarts Attempted Coup". News Radio 830 KHVH. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.

Notes

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