A crack team of Russian fighters which were sent to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have been killed.
The elite Chechen unit was reportedly defeated, according to a top Ukrainian politician.
Oleksiy Danilov, Kyiv's Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, said the unit "which came to kill our President, was eliminated", during a televised address, reports the Mirror.
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The team was sent into the fellow former Soviet nation by Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of Russia’s Chechnya region and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking on Ukraine 24 TV channel, Danilov said: "We are already aware of the special operation that was to be carried out by Kadyrov forces unit. We received the information from representatives of Russia’s Federal Security Service who do not want to take part in this bloody war. The Kadyrov forces unit, which came to kill our President, was eliminated."
According to Danilov, one group came under fire in Hostomel, while another group is currently being held at gunpoint.
Danilov added: "We will not give our President or our country to anyone. This is our land, get out of here."
Over the weekend, it was then reported that some 400 mercenaries were operating in Kyiv under Kremlin orders to assassinate Zelenskyy. Armed militia from the Wagner Group were flown into the capital from Africa five weeks ago, it's claimed. The militia was ordered to decapitate Zelenskyy’s government in return for a handsome financial bonus.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president has said he has had a conversation with his US counterpart Joe Biden.
Zelenskyy tweeted: “Just had a conversation with @POTUS. The American leadership on anti-Russian sanctions and defense assistance to Ukraine was discussed. We must stop the aggressor as soon as possible. Thank you for your support!”
The conversation came on day six of the Russian invasion of its neighbour.
