Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says group of Russians and Ukrainians planning coup against him

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says group of Russians and Ukrainians planning coup against him

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says a group of Ukrainians and Russians is planning to carry out a coup against him next week

Speaking at a news conference in Kiev on Friday, the President said he had received intelligence information, which included audio, indicating the coup is planned for December 1 or 2.

Zelensky said there was audio of Ukrainian and Russian plotters discussing the plan. Ukraine's president said the alleged plotters also mentioned the name of one of Ukraine's richest men, Rinat Akhmetov.

Zelensky alleged Akhmetov -- the owner of Ukrainian financial and industrial holding company System Capital Management (SCM) -- was "drawn into the war against the state of Ukraine" by people who surrounded him, but he didn't explain what he meant or provide any evidence to support his allegations.

Zelensky said he had invited Akhmetov to his office to speak about the alleged plot.

The Ukrainian president noted unlike his predecessors Viktor Yanukovich and Petro Poroshenko, he "will not run anywhere," but will invite all the people involved to work this out at his office.

Zelensky stressed it was an attempt to destabilize the country. "I don't think that society wants that. The country does not want that. The people who want that are those who have lost power," Zelensky said.

Akhmetov dismissed Zelensky's comments as an "absolute lie."

In a statement to CNN shared by his company, SCM, Akhmetov said he was "outraged by the spread of this lie."

"The information made public by Volodymyr Zelensky about attempts to draw me into some kind of coup is an absolute lie. I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the President's motives are.

"As a Ukrainian citizen, the country's biggest investor, taxpayer, and employer, I will continue to defend a free Ukraine, a free economy, democracy, and freedom of speech. I will do everything I can to prevent authoritarianism and censorship in Ukraine," he added.

Military activity on border


US President Joe Biden said Friday he was "concerned" by what Zelensky had said about a planned coup.

Asked about the reports, Biden said: "I am concerned. Look we support Ukraine's territorial integrity. We support Ukraine's ability to govern itself."

Meanwhile, the Kremlin rejected Zelensky's claim Russia was involved in plotting a coup in Ukraine. "Russia never had any plans to take part. In general, Russia is never engaged in that kind of thing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on a conference call with journalists Friday.

For weeks, Western officials have been expressing growing concern about Moscow's military activity on the Ukrainian border -- with the US considering sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.

"We don't know what President [Vladimir] Putin's intentions are, but we do know what's happened in the past," US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said during a trip to Senegal last week, referring to Russian military incursions, acknowledged or not, into neighboring countries.

The head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency, Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, told the US defense newspaper Military Times Russia was increasing troop levels and weapons systems in Crimea for an offensive which could come at any time.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said Russia has no plans to invade the Ukraine, accusing Western countries of "hysteria."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×