Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denis Shyagal on Tuesday accused Russia of being “absolutely” in an try to overthrow the pro-Western authorities in Kiev, citing intelligence.
Last Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned Ukraine had this week uncovered a plot to topple its authorities that concerned Russians, however declined to say whether or not he believed the Kremlin was behind the plot. was behind.
The Kremlin has denied any position in any coup plot and dismissed as unfounded different allegations that it sought to destabilize Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.
“We have secret data that shows specific intentions (to launch a coup),” Shyamgal mentioned. Asked if the Russian state was behind this, he mentioned: “Absolutely.”
He additionally mentioned a Russian navy build-up on Ukraine’s border, the second such surge since May, was a part of a wider Russian effort to interrupt by.
Ukrainian momentum in direction of becoming a member of the European Union.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denis Shyagal takes half in an interview with Reuters on November 30, 2021 in Brussels, Belgium. (Reuters)
“They are preparing something,” Shyamgal mentioned, with out elaborating on Russia.
Shymagal, who was in Brussels for talks with high EU officers, mentioned Ukrainian intelligence was making an attempt to hint the actions of “external powers” to affect political opposition throughout the nation and affect a well-liked rebellion and coup.
Zelensky, a former actor who as soon as performed a fictional president in a well-liked sitcom, got here to energy in 2019 with a convincing electoral victory, although his reputation has plummeted after 2-1/2 years in energy.
But Shyamgal mentioned: “In Ukrainian society, there is no revolutionary mood. We understand that there was influence from outside to strengthen the protests in Kiev. Our secret service is conducting a special investigation.”
Shyamgal additionally mentioned that the sacking of the pinnacle of the counter-intelligence division of the Ukraine Security Service (SBU) Oleksandr Rusnak this week was unrelated.
He mentioned Ukraine’s aspiration to hitch the European Union was among the many important causes for Russian aggression, hybrid assaults, a navy build-up on its border and Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Ukraine has additionally been preventing a pro-Russian insurgency within the nation’s east since 2014.
Ukrainians overthrew a Russian-backed president in a pro-European rebellion in February 2014. Along with Moldova and Georgia, it expects guarantees of nearer ties with the EU at a particular “Eastern Partnership” summit subsequent month.
The European Union and different Western leaders are concerned in a geopolitical tug-of-war with Russia for affect in Ukraine and two different former Soviet republics, Moldova and Georgia, by commerce, cooperation and safety preparations. Shyamgal mentioned that Ukraine can be in search of extra navy assist from the United States.
“This is one of the main reasons for the hybrid attacks from the Russian side, because we strongly want to integrate into Europe, for the standard of living of European, civilized countries,” he mentioned.
“That’s why we have all these hybrid attacks, cyberattacks, physical military attacks, occupied territories, propaganda to disrupt Ukraine’s European aspirations.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
