The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has claimed that it foiled a plot aimed at overthrowing the Kyiv government by triggering a riot. The statement posted on Telegram by the domestic intelligence agency said four people have been arrested in connection.
Kyiv had earlier too accused the Kremlin of orchestrating coup attempts and covert campaigns to destabilise the government.
The SBU statement, which did not offer details, said it unearthed a group of conspirators who were planning to spark a riot before taking over the Parliament building and replacing the country's military and civilian leadership, reported Western news media.
Weapons and ammunition, as well as cellphones, computers and other records with evidence of criminal action, were seized, the statement added. They added that the current scheme "would have played in Russia’s hands."
The Ukrainian officials described the coup organisers as "agents working on behalf of Russia" who were planning to hold "an allegedly peaceful gathering" in the capital. The leader reportedly rented a hall with a capacity of 2,000 people and recruited military personnel and armed guards from private companies to carry out the seizure of parliament.
The SBU alleged that the organiser also sought the assistance of representatives of the community organizations from Kyiv, Dnipro, and other regions.
Artem Dekhtyarenko, the spokesman for the S.B.U, added that most of those who gathered would be unaware of the plan. "Once there were several thousand people, the organisers planned to disseminate information about the unrest in Kyiv through domestic and foreign information resources. In this way, they hoped to undermine the sociopolitical situation inside our country, which would play in favour of Russia," he said in a statement.
Interestingly, the SBU made no mention of the details of the plot, including how they believed the group could seize the heavily guarded Parliament building. The officials also did not reveal the identity of the four accused in custody.
Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy had earlier claimed that his government foiled many coup plots orchestrated by Russia. This includes the one in November 2021, which according to Zelenskuy, happened just over a month before Russia invaded Ukraine. The British government had also reiterated the claims, stating Moscow was developing plans to orchestrate a coup in Ukraine to install a pro-Russian leader.
In May, SBU arrested two military officials, accusing them of taking part in an elaborate plan to kill the president and other top leaders.
