Ukrainian secret service claims to have prevented attempted coup
Since the beginning of the war, collaborators and spies have been arrested in Ukraine regularly. Now, the authorities are investigating several men who allegedly planned to seize the Parliament in Kiev and install a new government.
The Ukrainian authorities have reportedly thwarted a coup attempt. A group of instigators had planned "provocations" in the capital Kiev for the past Sunday, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Prosecutor's Office.
Among other things, they intended to take over the Parliament during a demonstration and form a "provisional government." Four men are being investigated. Two of them have been temporarily arrested. Weapons and ammunition were discovered during raids, it is stated. The suspects face up to ten years in prison.
The investigations were conducted by the authorities of the western Ukrainian region of Ivano-Frankivsk. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the government quarter in the capital Kiev has been a high-security zone and is no longer freely accessible.
Due to the applicable martial law, the right to demonstrate is also restricted. Authorities have reportedly been arresting supporters and informants of the Russian troops regularly.
The planned coup attempt in Kiev was aimed at seizing the Parliament and installing a new government, as revealed by the Ukrainian secret services during their investigations. Despite the ongoing Ukraine conflict, the attack on Ukraine's political institutions remains a significant concern. The suspected coup plotters, including two temporarily arrested individuals, are facing potential prison sentences for their actions.
