Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy Warned by CIA Director Bill Burns About Russia's Plot to Assassinate Him Ahead of Invasion

CIA Director Bill Burns met Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a secret trip last year and warned the president of Ukraine about Russia's plot to assassinate him, which "appeared to surprise" him.

According to Chris Whipple, author of the upcoming book, "The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden's White House," it was in January 2022, ahead of the Russian invasion, when the two officials met, and Zelenskyy had been casting doubt on the U.S. intel at the time, Business Insider reported.

The Ukrainian leader had reportedly been dismissing the idea that there would be an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia. He also suggested that the U.S.' public warnings were creating a "panic."

But weeks before the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy expressed concerns that such warnings would negatively affect the Ukrainian economy. He also emphasized that Kyiv was used to facing threats from Russia.

Whipple wrote that Burns had come to give Zelenskyy "a reality check" as he shared with him that Russia's Special Forces were coming for him. He added that Biden told Burns to "share precise details of the Russian plots."

The book's author noted that Zelenskyy was "taken aback" and "sobered by this news."

The following month, Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. It became the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II. The book is set to be released on January 17.

Russia's Assassination Plot Against Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

A top Ukrainian official said on Wednesday that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had survived more than a dozen assassination plots against him since the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces started.

Presidential adviser Mikhail Podolyak told a local news outlet that the country's foreign partners were reporting two or three attempts, but there were more than a dozen of such attempts.

Podolyak noted that the Ukrainian government receives constant operational information regarding Russian agents and sabotage groups trying to enter government property.

The presidential adviser said Ukraine has a "powerful network" of intelligence and counterintelligence. He added that the "risks" to the Ukrainian president's life had not been entirely removed, and no other information could be released to the public for security reasons.

Zelenskyy recently turned down an offer from the U.S. for an evacuation. He noted that he needed ammunition and "not a ride."

Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

On Monday, the German and Dutch foreign ministers condemned the deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children by Russians.

The ministers called it a "deliberate policy of cruel and inhumane abductions."

Russia claims that the children do not have parents or guardians to look after them or that they cannot be reached.

However, it was reported that officials had deported Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-held territories without consent, even lying to them that their parents did not want them.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is reportedly preparing for an attack near its border with Belarus.

In Dnipro, the death toll has risen to 40 after a missile strike hit an apartment building, wherein 1,700 people lived in the multi-story building.

Authorities recorded 75 injuries, with 30 more remaining missing. The regional administration said the number of rescued people reached 39.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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