Ukrainian intelligence is reporting that Putin has hired 400 mercenaries to kill President Volodymyr Zelensky after his first plan of having his stooge Joe Biden fly him out of the country failed. No bonus. Sorry, Hunter. Zelensky has gone from being Chris Rock to George Patton almost overnight. Win, lose or draw, Zelensky will be a national hero. He is the glue that is holding the country together.
The Ukrainian government learned of a Russian plot to assassinate the president over the weekend and they have been sweeping the streets in search of the assassins. Meanwhile, the curfew in Kyiv is now 5:00 PM to 8 AM. The government is doing its best to limit the number of civilian casualties. That allows its forces to act more aggressively against the Russian invaders.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko tweeted on Saturday:
“Warning! From today, February 26, 2022, the curfew will run from 5:00 pm to 8:00 am for more effective defense of the capital and security of its inhabitants. This curfew is introduced until the morning of February 28. All civilians who will be on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups. Please treat the situation with understanding and do not go outside.”
As Fox News reported:
Former U.S. intelligence officials speculated to Fox News Digital that these mercenaries more likely have been operating in Kyiv for months because Russian President Vladimir Putin required on-the-ground intelligence in the Ukrainian capital in advance of the planned invasion that began five days ago.
One official said deploying the Wagner Group to assassinate Zelenskyy gives Putin the option to say, “that wasn’t me.” A second former U.S. official added that having the Wagner Group carry out judicial killings in Kyiv, perhaps by using a nerve agent or something non-traceable, could be the Russian government’s tactic because “something not attributable is an option Putin would want to have.”
The Russians have tried to take Kyiv for several days, but the resistance has been stronger than they anticipated. More Russian forces are moving towards Eastern Ukraine and Belarus is expected to mount its own invasion to assist its Russian allies.
