Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy survived three assassination attempts in a week after his security team was warned beforehand of the possible danger to his life, Newsweek reported. 

According to the media outlet, the head of state was able to avoid the attacks due to the cooperation of anti-war intelligence officers belonging to Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB), who tipped off the necessary Ukrainian authorities. 

An article from Mail Online noted that the head of Ukraine’s National Security Council, Oleksiy Danilov, informed the media that Zelenskyy had survived three assassination attempts. Earlier in the week, Danilov posted on Telegram about the attempts on the president’s life, which had been thwarted. He took the chance to identify the groups responsible as well, saying, “We are well aware of the special operation that was to take place directly by the Kadyrovites to eliminate our president”. 

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This refers to fighters from the Caucasus Russian republic. Their leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, remains loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Danilov also noted how both groups, attempting assassinations, were from Chechnya. 

Danilov also added, “And I can say that we have received information from the FSB, who today do not want to take part in this bloody war. Thanks to this, I can say that Kadyrov’s elite group was destroyed directly, which came here to eliminate our president”. 

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Meanwhile, Zelenskyy turned down earlier offers from the US to evacuate from Ukraine, saying he needed ammunition, not a ride out of the country. He’s also repeatedly asked Putin to engage in talks, saying in a televised news conference, “Good Lord, what do you want, Leave our land. If you don’t want to leave now, sit down with me at the negotiating table. But not from 30 meters away, like with Macron and Scholz. I don’t bite. What are you afraid of? Any words are more important than shots”, Associated Press reported.