Volodymyr Zelensky narrowly escaped death several times

On the eve of the Ukraine allies' summit (in Paris), Volodymyr Zelensky had said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was going to "die soon", unlike himself who is "younger".

On March 26, during an interview with four European journalists, the Ukrainian president emphasised that Putin could “end this war before he dies”. And added: “I'm younger than him, so bet on me!”

However, be careful not to get too far ahead of yourself… Zelensky has already been the target of several assassination attempts since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. In March 2024, the Ukrainian authorities claimed to have foiled a Russian plot to take down the Ukrainian leader as well as several senior military officials, playing a key role in Kiev's resistance, according to the media outlet 20 Minutes.

A network of agents ready to take down the Ukrainian leader

In a statement, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced the dismantling of "a network of agents" from the Russian security services (FSB), who were planning and organising Zelensky's assassination. Two Ukrainian officers were part of this network. The Ukrainian president, following this announcement, then dismissed Sergueï Leonidovich Rud, the head of his personal security, from his post as head of the Department of State Protection of Ukraine.

Moreover, in April 2024, the Polish prosecutor's office declared that a man identified as Pawel K. had been arrested in Poland. He had been tasked to “collect and provide information to the military intelligence services of the Russian Federation […], notably assisting the Russian secret services in planning a possible assassination attempt on a foreign head of state, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.”

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: 20 Minutes - Picture: ©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Nicolas Economou)