Ukraine claims that it has found evidence of Russia helping an unidentified group plan a coup in the immediate future.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at a Friday press conference that officials had discovered evidence of a planned coup scheduled for next week with potential connections to Russia. While Zelensky did not directly name the Russian state, he spoke extensively on the threat of Russian military escalation.
“We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation — we have big internal challenges,” said Zelensky. “I received information that a coup d’etat will take place in our country on Dec. 1-2.”
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The Ukrainian president claimed Rinat Akhmetov, a businessman and former member of the Ukrainian Parliament, was named in the audio recordings.
“I believe [Akhmetov] is being dragged into the war against Ukraine. This will be a big mistake because you cannot fight against your people,” Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian president alleges that the government obtained audio recordings of the coup plans and stated that the situation is under control.
“We are in full control of our borders and are fully prepared for any escalation,” Zelensky assured viewers.
“Russia never had any plans to take part. In general, Russia is never engaged in that kind of thing,” a Kremlin spokesperson told reporters during a conference call.
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Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have grown significantly in recent months. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Military Times last week that Russia had 92,000 troops massed near Ukraine’s border. They were reportedly preparing for an attack in January.
Russia recently criticized Ukraine after receiving ammunition and Javelin missiles from the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin also accused NATO of ignoring Russian “red lines” in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, which he claims will create a crisis in the future.
