Ukraine war: Putin accuses West of plotting to destroy Russia – and says secret service foiled plot to kill journalist | World News
According to Vladimir Putin, Russia’s security services have foiled a plot to kill a “famous” TV journalist.
The Russian president said the plot was foiled by Russia’s main spy agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). He offered no evidence to back up his claims.
“This morning, the Federal Security Service stopped the activities of a terrorist group that planned to attack and kill a prominent Russian television journalist,” he said.
“They turned to terrorism – in preparation for the murder of our journalists.”
Russia attacks five Ukrainian train stations in one hour – live updates
The Interfax news agency said members of a nationalist group who allegedly acted on the orders of Ukrainians spy, was detained by the Russian authorities.
FSB director Alexander Bortnikov said six Russian nationals of neo-nationalism had plotted to kill Russian journalist Vladimir Solovyev, a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine, on orders of state security services. Ukraine (SBU).
The SBU has denied the allegations, which it says are fantasies created by Moscow.
“The SBU has no plans to assassinate V Solovyev,” it said in a statement.
Putin claimed the West was trying to destroy Russia from within, adding that the CIA was directing efforts to sabotage the country and was advising the Ukrainian government.
The Russian president also said that foreign media organizations and social networks have been used by the West to disguise provocations against Russia’s armed forces. Such actions, he said, should be stopped.
In other major developments:
- Eight people were killed in Russian shelling in the Donetsk region
- Russia claims to have destroyed oil refinery and fuel depot in Dnipro
- Ukraine says no agreed evacuation route for Mariupol
- Putin congratulates Emmanuel Macron on re-election
- A total of 21,900 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict so far, according to the Ukrainian armed forces
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Russia’s war goals are ‘failing’
Russia ‘failed’ in their fight to aim
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke after a visit Kyivwhere he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Blinken said the United States had approved the sale of $165 million in ammunition to Ukraine, along with $322 million in foreign military funding.
“The strategy that we have come up with – pro-Ukraine, put great pressure on Russia, unite with the more than 30 countries involved in these efforts – is bearing real results,” he said.
“When it comes to Russia’s war goals, Russia is failing, Ukraine is succeeding.
“Russia has sought as its main goal to completely subjugate Ukraine, deprive it of its sovereignty, deprive it of its independence. That has failed.”
He said that Russia “is looking to assert the strength of its military and its economy” but “of course, we are seeing the opposite: a military that is significantly underperforming, a economic – the result of the sanctions, the result of a mass exodus from Russia – it’s going to be chaotic.”
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US pledges to add $713 million to Ukraine
Russia’s attempt to “split the West and NATO” has also failed, he said.
Blinken confirmed that American diplomats will begin returning to Ukraine next week.
Russia warns the West not to send more weapons to Ukraine
Earlier, Russia warned the US against sending more weapons to Ukraine, saying this would only increase bloodshed.
“What the Americans are doing is pouring fuel on the fire,” Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the US, told Rossiya 24 TV channel.
“I just see an attempt to increase the bet, to aggravate the situation, to see more losses.”
He said an official note had been sent to Washington stressing “this situation is unacceptable” and demanding an end to the operation.
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