As things continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky still refuses to leave the capital. The Ukrainian leader has acknowledged that he is Putin's main target but has opted out of leaving the area. Last week it was reported that there have been three failed attempts on his life by Russian proxies per Metro.
Each attempt on Zelensky's life seems to have failed due to tips, allowing any potential threats to be eliminated before reaching Ukraine's president. While only three attempts on his life have been reported, his aide Mikhail Podolyak claims that the number of attempts is much higher. "Our foreign partners are talking about two or three attempts - I believe that there were more than a dozen such attempts," Podolyak told Pravda.com.ua. During his statement, he also noted that the Ukrainian government has information about Russia's attempts to kill Zelensky, and hit squads continue to be eliminated as they receive more info.
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It's alleged that Chechen special forces and mercenaries tied to the Kremlin-linked Wagner group were sent to kill Zelensky and other government figures. Prior to the invasion, the U.S warned the Kremlin had created a list of targets. There have been reports that hundreds of Wagner Group soldiers have been dispersed into Kyiv.
Amidst threats to his life, Zelensky has remained firm in the Ukrainian capital and has even taken time to taunt Putin with a slew of videos. During a live video, he addressed parliament with a paraphrase of a Winston Churchill speech, "We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, the fields, the shores, and in the streets."
[Via]