More than 400 Russian mercenaries have reportedly been sent to assassinate Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the country.
The hired individuals are said to be operating in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv after being flown in from Africa five weeks ago, ahead of the invasion which began on February 24.
Operating under orders from the Kremlin, the mercenaries were transported by The Wagner Group, a private militia run by one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, and tasked with assassinating Zelenskyy and members of his government, and preparing the ground for Moscow to take control.
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According to The Times, news of the mercenaries' arrival was confirmed by a source closely connected to the group's activities, who said between 2,000 and 4,000 individuals arrived in January before being deployed to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Putin recognised as independent prior to the start of his invasion.
Another 400 mercenaries are said to have entered from Belarus and made their way to the capital, where they are reportedly targeting the prime minister, the cabinet, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and his brother Wladimir, as well as Zelenskyy.
A source close to senior members of the Wagner Group claimed the mercenaries have been told Putin wants a brief halt in the operation to show he is negotiating with the Ukrainian president, but has reportedly assured the individuals that no deal will be reached and the talks will actually just be 'smoke and mirrors'.
Before attempting to move ahead with their task, the mercenaries are said to be awaiting a signal from the Kremlin. Should they complete their operation, they have reportedly been promised hefty bonuses and a safe passage out of Ukraine. The mercenaries have claimed they are able to track their targets via their mobile phones.
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Wagner, which is owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an oligarch known as Putin’s chef, has previously conducted covert operations across Africa and the Middle East.
General Sir Richard Barrons, a former commander of Joint Forces Command, told The Times those associated with the group are 'very effective because they are hard to pin down'.
He continued: 'They can appear from the shadows, do very violent things and then disappear again, without it being obvious who was responsible. They are not directly linked to the Russian government and therefore they are plausibly deniable.'
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In a video shared on social media following the invasion, Zelenskyy acknowledged being a target for Russia as he described himself as 'the enemy's number one target.'
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Topics: Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Russia, Ukraine, Politics
Emily Brown