Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky is being hunted by Russian president Vladmir Putin’s private band of militia, who plan to kill him within days, according to reports.
The military contractors, that include former and current soldiers from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia, is known as the Wagner Group. It is thought to have a hit list, with Zelensky the main target.
They have been on the ground in Ukraine for at least a month, say experts, about a group of around 400 mercenaries, who are linked to a string of murders, rapes, robberies and alleged war crimes. It is thought they have a list of 23 targets, that includes Ukraine’s prime minister as well as the entire cabinet, mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir – both of whom are boxing champions who have become iconic figures on the front lines.
The Times say the soldiers are awaiting a signal from the Kremlin to wipe out Zelensky and his government. The assassination crew have been promised hefty bonuses and safe passage out of Ukraine in return for the killings. It is widely believed the group is at the behest of Putin, although the Kremlin has repeatedly denied this. The force is said to be involved in supplying weapons, experienced operations personnel and military training to pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine.
The group has previously been deployed by the Kremlin outside of Russia, to carry out black ops operations that Putin wants done while avoiding direct responsibility. And now, the army of soldiers is believed to be active in Ukraine, waiting for the green light. However, their plans are believed to have been thwarted when Kyiv declared a 36-hour “hard” curfew, ordering everyone indoors to allow soldiers to sweep the streets for saboteurs. Civilians were warned they risked being ‘liquidated’ if they went outside.
The Times also reported that a source close to the Wagner Group, which is run by one of Putin’s closest friends, said between 2,000 and 4,000 mercenaries are operating across Ukraine. The 400 soldiers in the capital were believed to have slid in via Belarus. It was hoped that peace talks, set to get underway today, may begin to de-escalate the war, although there were also fears Belarus could soon send troops into Ukraine, backing their long-time ally Russia.
But it is not known how serious Russia are about the talks or what their demands will be five days after invading Ukraine following weeks of troop build up along the border. After Moscow invaded last week, Zelensky addressed the nation, claiming that Russian special forces were in the capital searching for him as “target No 1”. However, when he was offered the chance to flee by America he said: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”
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