Photo: SERGEI SUPINSKY / AFP / Getty Images
Ukraine's security service, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), announced on Monday (June 30) that it had foiled an alleged coup attempt. The plot was reportedly designed to destabilize the government and "played into Russia’s hands," according to the SBU.
The alleged coup organizers planned to stage a riot in Kyiv's city center and then seize control of the Ukrainian parliament, removing the military and political leadership from power. The SBU did not explicitly link the plot to Russia, which has been waging a full-scale invasion against Ukraine for nearly two and a half years.
Four suspects have been identified, with two currently in custody. They face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. The SBU seized weapons, ammunition, cellphones, computers, and other records as evidence of the alleged criminal action.
The office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general stated that the alleged leader of the plot is the head of a non-governmental entity, who had previously participated in "fruitless provocative events." The suspect reportedly rented a hall with a capacity of 2,000 people and sought to recruit military personnel and armed guards from private companies to 'carry out the seizure' of parliament.
The alleged coup attempt comes amid Russia's steady battlefield gains in recent months, exploiting Ukraine’s diminishing manpower and reliance on the West for weapons.