On Monday, Ukrainian security officials announced that Ukraine had thwarted an alleged plot to overthrow the Zelensky government and arrested individuals suspected of conspiring to incite riots in Kyiv.
According to the Washington Times, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated that the organizers of the plot planned to provoke unrest in Kyiv on Sunday, June 30, to divert attention and seize control of the Ukrainian parliament, aiming to overthrow the military and political leadership.
The SBU stated in a press release that the organizers planned to spread information about “disturbances” in Kyiv through domestic and foreign media resources. They hoped to disrupt Ukraine’s socio-political situation, potentially paving the way for Russian influence in Ukraine.
This attempted coup took place on Sunday, coinciding with Ukraine’s observance of the anniversary of the Constitution.
The SBU revealed that the main orchestrator behind the attempted coup was a member of an anti-Ukrainian non-governmental organization (NGO), with four suspects identified, two of whom have been detained. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison. Other Ukrainian NGOs have also been accused of involvement.
The accused individuals reportedly attempted to hold a so-called peaceful gathering and then storm the Ukrainian parliament building with the aim of occupying it. The SBU seized weapons, ammunition, as well as mobile phones, computers, and other records with potential criminal evidence.
The identities of the detained individuals have not been disclosed by the SBU, and it remains unclear if they have any connections to Russia.
In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During the conflict with Russia, the SBU has been on high alert to prevent destabilizing activities targeting the Ukrainian military and government.
Currently, the Ukrainian military is fending off Russian attacks in the Kharkiv region, while Moscow is advancing on the front lines in the Donetsk region in the east.
Zelensky has called on Western countries to further relax restrictions on using Western weapons to target military objectives within Russia.