The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has survived more than a dozen assassination attempts, according to one of his closest aides.
Mikhail Podolyak, the head of the office for the President, claims reports of three attempts to assassinate the "heroic" President are false.
Instead, Mr Podolyak believes more than a dozen attempts have been made,
Since the start of the Russian invasion into Ukraine, President Zelensky has stated he is "target number one" for enemy forces.
He has warned of Russian "sabotage groups" entering Kyiv to hunt down him and his family.
His aide Mr Podolyak now claims "more than a dozen" attempts have been made on President Zelensky's life.
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Speaking in an interview with Pravda.com, Mr Podolyak said: "Our foreign partners are talking about two or three attempts. I believe that there were more than a dozen such attempts.
"Because we constantly have operational information that there are some DRGs who want to enter the government quarter and so on.
"We have a very powerful network of intelligence and counterintelligence - they track it all, and all these DRGs are being liquidated on the way."
Last week it was reported Zelensky had survived at least three assassination attempts in a week.
Two different outfits had reportedly been sent to kill the Ukrainian leader — mercenaries of the Kremlin-backed Wagner group and Chechen special forces, according to The Times.
Both were thwarted by anti-war elements within Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
A source close to the group said it was “eerie” how well-briefed Zelensky’s security team appeared to be.
The shocking assassination estimate comes after reports a Ukrainian peace negotiator was executed on suspicion he was a Russian spy.
The unverified allegation was made by MPs following the death of Denis Kireev, 45, and the mystery surrounding his death.
Ukrainian officials said the former banker was killed in an operation to "defend the nation" and branded him a hero.
But a counterclaim by an MP claims Mr Kireev died during an arrest by security services.
Kireev was present during tense talks with Russia although his role is unclear.
According to Interfax- Ukraine, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote on his Telegram channel: "During the arrest, the Security Service of Ukraine shot dead a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation Denys Kireev.
"He was suspected of high treason."
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet with officials in Washington today to discuss further support for Ukraine after both the UK and US were thanked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for their moves to sanction Russian oil.
Ms Truss will meet US counterpart Antony Blinken and national security advisor Jake Sullivan to consider what more the two countries can do to support Ukraine on security, intelligence and humanitarian issues.
Mr Zelensky welcomed the announcement coordinated between the US and UK on Tuesday to hurt Russia financially over its invasion of Ukraine and said they sent a "powerful signal" to the world.
He earlier received standing ovations during a virtual speech to the House of Commons, during which he called for the UK to "make sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe".
