An attempt to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 resulted in people being killed inside the Presidential Office, Zelensky said in a segment of an interview with The Guardian published on Feb. 12.
"There were people who wanted to kill (me), there were gunshots, and more. Some people were killed here, inside the Presidential Office, others were defending us," Zelensky revealed.
The president did not specify whether the fatalities included Russians, Ukrainians, or both. Zelensky said the assassination attempts took place amid Russia's efforts to pressure the Ukrainian leadership into accepting painful peace conditions.
The comments shed further light on previously reported attempts by Russia to eliminate the Ukrainian leadership in Kyiv in early 2022.
At least three assassination attempts at Zelensky were reported by March 2022 as Russian forces were pushing toward Ukraine's capital before being defeated in the battle of Kyiv.
These attacks included a team of elite Chechen soldiers who were eliminated after Ukraine was tipped off by members of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Ukrainian officials claimed at the time.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
These were not the last reported attempts at Zelensky's life throughout the full-scale war. In May 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced thwarting an FSB plot to kill the president.
Two colonels of Ukraine's State Security Administration (UDO) were accused of leaking classified information to Russia to assist with the plot.
In the same interview with the Guardian, Zelensky warned that without Ukraine, Europe could face a full-scale Russian occupation due to Moscow's numerical advantage in forces.
Zelensky highlighted the disparity in forces between Russia and Europe, saying that Ukraine's army consists of 110 brigades, while Russia fields 220 and plans to expand to 250 this year. In contrast, Europe, including U.S. troops stationed there, has only about 82 combat brigades, he said.
"Without Ukraine, Europe will be totally occupied by Russia, if they want. And I believe they (Russia) have nothing else on their mind," the president said in the interview.
"Today, an army of 110 brigades is holding back those who have 220-230. But it's one to two," Zelensky added. The president said that while Russia's numeral advantage compared to Ukraine is two to one, in comparison to Europe, it's three to one, which is sufficient for an effective offensive.
Zelensky added that Russia intends to increase its forces by 12-15 divisions — around 150,000 troops — through mobilization, training, and the addition of North Korean soldiers.
According to the president, Ukraine's intelligence also suggests that new Russian recruits will be trained in Belarus.
"After that, they can launch a full-scale ivasion from there. But who said that it would be to Ukraine? Russia can invade Poland or Lithuania," Zelensky warned.
Andrea Januta
(Updated: )
