Plotters to kill Zelenskyy ejected

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the head of the state guards yesterday, two days after two of its members were accused of plotting to assassinate the president. Zelenskyy issued a decree dismissing Serhiy Rud. No successor was identified. The state security service (SBU) said this week it had caught two men, colonels in the state guard service, accused of plotting the assassination of Zelenskyy and other top officials.

The SBU said the assassinations were to have been a ‘‘gift’’ for Vladimir Putin as he was sworn in for a new term in the Kremlin on Wednesday.

It said the men were recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service, who leaked classified information to Moscow. The SBU said the spy group also planned to kill SBU head Vasyl Maliuk and Kyrylo Budanov, the military intelligence agency’s head.

Zelenskyy said yesterday Ukraine could stop Russian forces advancing in the east if allied countries increased the supply of arms.

He was speaking at a news conference in Kyiv with the European Parliament’s visiting President Roberta Metsola. Russia has been making small but steady territorial gains in the east of the country since the start of the year, with Ukraine’s forces depleted and weapons and ammunition running low.

‘‘We are putting maximum pressure on our partners to increase weapon deliveries,’’ Zelenskyy said.

‘‘If the delivery of weapons is increased, we will be able to stop [Russian forces] in the east, where they have the initiative.’’

As he spoke, airraid sirens started to blare, a reminder of the threat of intensifying Russian attacks. — Reuters