Russia plans "Maidan 3". Zelensky: "They've attempted to kill me 5‑6 times"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in an interview for the British newspaper "The Sun" that he has survived 5-6 assassination attempts by Vladimir Putin's associates. He also warned that Russia is still actively seeking to erase him from power, with the operation named "Maidan 3".

Zelensky likened reactions to the life-threatening attempts against him to responses to COVID-19 - the first attempt incited panic comparable to the outbreak of the pandemic; however, subsequent attempts were taken more stoically. Initially, people were at a loss, and it appeared extremely frightening. Subsequently, the intelligence informed him about another group's arrival in Ukraine for the purpose he elaborated.

Zelensky confessed that he's lost track of the exact number of attempts on his life since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 of the previous year but assumed there had been around five or six. He affirmed that Russia still ardently wishes to depose him and divulged that he knows the code name and expiry date of the imminent mission planned towards this objective.

The operation is dubbed "Maidan 3". The aim is to effect a change in the presidency. Not necessarily through assassination. Rather through change by employing any tool at their disposal - he explained.

Zelensky cautioned high-ranking military officials against engaging in politics as it risks harming national unity. He emphasized, "If a military person opts for politics, he has the right, but he should abstain from managing combat operations."

According to analysts at the Center for Eastern Studies (OSW), Zelensky's warning towards the military is a response to the rising popularity of the Armed Forces' Commander-in-Chief, Valeriy Zaluzhny. Zaluzhny could potentially become a competitor to Zelensky in a future presidential race. "This also indicates the incumbent president's escalating fear of losing public trust, especially amongst soldiers, and being held accountable for failures at the front," the experts interpret.

"It's conceivable that to offset reputational damage, some top-ranking commanders could be dismissed and held accountable for incompetent conduct of combat operations," predicts the OSW analysis.