Zelenskyy sacks security chief after foiled assassination plot
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed General Serhii Rudyi, who served as the head of the State Security Administration. This action followed the arrest of officers under his command related to a foiled assassination attempt on the Ukrainian President.
1:26 PM EDT, May 11, 2024
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, removed General Serhii Rudyi from his role, a position he held since 2019. The official statement from the president's office did not disclose the reason for Zelenskyy's decision, and Rudyi was not reassigned to any other role. Speculation suggests the dismissal might be linked to a thwarted assassination attempt, believed to have been orchestrated by agencies in Moscow, against Zelenskyy.
Rudyi's Rise during Zelenskyy's Presidency
Serhii Rudyi's career in the State Security Administration (SSA) began in the early 2000s under then-President Leonid Kuchma. Rudyi was tasked with training state security officers during this period. Amid Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the conflict in Donbas, Rudyi assumed significant managerial positions within the SSA's education institute, preparing the next generation of officers.
His career trajectory took a significant uptick with Volodymyr Zelenskyy's election as President of Ukraine in 2019. Shortly afterward, Rudyi was elevated to deputy head of the SSA, eventually becoming the head of the service. Following the escalation of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Rudyi emerged as a pivotal figure, joining the select group that briefed the president on the wartime situation.
Dismantling the Assassination Plot to Target the President
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) uncovered an assassination plot involving lethal weaponry, such as FPV drones, RPG-7 rounds, and MON-90 anti-infantry mines, discovered in Kyiv, where the attack was planned.
The plot's exposure was significantly attributed to Vasyl Maluk, the head of the SBU, who oversaw the investigation. Ukrainian TV station TSN reported that the SBU had long monitored the conspirators, documenting weapon transports and intercepting calls between the would-be assailant and a handler from the FSB. The attack's orchestration was linked to FSB workers Maxim Mishustin, Dmytro Perlin, and Alexey Kornev, who are now facing life imprisonment.
