• Source: 2024 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations

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.




Background



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




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. 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. 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. The centerpiece of the plot was to trigger a riot on June 30 as a distraction to seize control of various buildings. They also planned to storm the Verkhovna Rada building.
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." 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. The leader of the plot stated that they would have organized as a "Veche" and would have sought public support. 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. The SBU said that as well as mobilising in Kyiv, the coup plotters had grassroots organisations in Dnipro and other Ukrainian cities.
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.
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.




Reactions


Russia: The Russian government refused to comment on the allegations that they had helped organize the plotters.




See also


2021 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations
2023 Moldovan coup d'état attempt allegations




References






Notes

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• 2024 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations
• 2021 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations
• 2024 Armenian coup attempt allegations
• 2023 Moldovan coup attempt allegations
• Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1 August 2024 – present)
• 2024 Kursk offensive
• List of coups and coup attempts
• 2024 Kharkiv offensive
• Sudanese civil war (2023–present)
• Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1 April 2024 – 31 July 2024)