By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Ukraine has thwarted an alleged coup attempt that security officials say would have benefited Russia, according to an announcement made on Monday. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated on Telegram that the supposed coup plotters intended to incite a riot in Kyiv on June 30. This chaos was planned as a diversion to facilitate the takeover of the Ukrainian parliament and the removal of the country’s military and political leaders.
It remains uncertain if the accused individuals have any direct ties to Russia, which has been engaged in a full scale invasion of Ukraine for nearly two and a half years. The SBU identified four suspects, two of whom are currently in custody. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison. Authorities reported the seizure of weapons, ammunition, cellphones, computers, and other evidence of criminal activities.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office revealed that the alleged coup leader rented a hall for 2,000 people and enlisted military personnel and armed guards from private firms to execute the parliament seizure. It is not yet known if additional suspects are being pursued. The SBU indicated that the main organizer recruited several accomplices from community organizations in Kyiv, Dnipro, and other regions.
This alleged plot coincides with Russia’s recent, albeit gradual, advances on the battlefield. These gains have been attributed to Ukraine’s dwindling manpower and its dependency on Western military support, amid uncertainty about the continuity of this aid.
On Saturday, Russian forces killed seven people, including three children, in a missile strike on Vilniansk, a town in southern Ukraine. This attack led President Volodymyr Zelensky to call for more long range weapons. Zelensky expressed gratitude to all supporting partners and stressed the urgency of timely decisions in the war, stating that delays cost human lives.
There is growing concern about the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine, especially with the possibility of Donald Trump returning to the presidency. In a recent presidential debate, Trump questioned the continuation of U.S. funding for Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Ukrainian politician Oleksiy Goncharenko told CNN that Trump’s comments on the Ukraine war were "worrying."
