The Claim:
Former Russian President Dmitry claimed Western democratic allies are plotting to kill Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy.
Medvedev made the claims on social media where he wrote that the arrest of a Polish man in connection to an actual plot to assassinate Ukraine’s president “may be the first piece of evidence that people in the West have made a decision to liquidate him. Be afraid, clown!”
The Facts:
There is no evidence to support Medvedev’s conspiracy.
A Polish man was arrested in Poland on April 18, 2024, under suspicion of planning to collaborate with Russian foreign intelligence to potentially assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Polish prosecutors, the arrest was made possible through cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian intelligence services.
The Polish prosecutors stated, “The findings of the investigation show that the suspect … declared his readiness to act for the military intelligence of the Russian Federation.”
Poland, serves as a critical hub for transporting supplies to Ukraine, and its vulnerability to Russian espionage has been of concern. The country has accused Moscow and its ally Belarus of attempting to destabilize it.
If convicted of cooperating with foreign intelligence services, the suspect could face up to eight years in prison.
Narrative Context:
This Russian government disinformation narrative distorts a factual information and is intended to sow confusion and stoke anti-Western sentiment.
