Ukraine Foils Alleged Plot to Assassinate Senior Officials, 10 Suspects Arrested
en01.web.id – Kyiv. The government of announced it had thwarted an alleged plot to assassinate senior state officials following a coordinated security operation conducted in Kyiv and several other regions, with related arrests also carried out in on the same date. Authorities said approximately 10 suspects were detained after an intensive investigation uncovered indications of an organized cross-border network with suspected links to pro- operatives.
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), , said in an official statement in Kyiv on Friday (February 20, 2026) that the operation was the result of several weeks of intelligence work. “We have prevented an assassination attempt against senior state officials. The investigation revealed recruitment efforts, logistical arrangements, and financial flows pointing to an organized operation across multiple jurisdictions,” Maliuk said, emphasizing that preventive measures were taken before the plan reached the execution stage.
According to investigators, the chronology of events began in early February 2026 when Ukrainian counterintelligence units detected suspicious communications involving several individuals operating near the country’s southern and eastern border regions. Through digital surveillance and field monitoring, authorities identified alleged recruitment activities targeting individuals who were reportedly promised payments of up to US$100,000 if the attack on designated targets was successfully carried out. The probe later expanded through coordination with Moldovan law enforcement after some communications and logistical movements were traced across the two countries’ border.
Following the collection of preliminary evidence, including intercepted electronic messages, financial transaction records, and operational planning documents, investigators moved to conduct synchronized raids in mid-February 2026. Law enforcement teams executed searches at multiple locations in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, while parallel arrests were made in Moldova. Authorities reported seizing communication devices, planning documents related to the alleged attack, and cash suspected to be connected to the operation’s funding.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine, , stated that legal proceedings against the suspects would proceed in accordance with criminal procedure and evidentiary standards in court. “We are examining each suspect’s role, including the possibility of a broader network. Law enforcement actions are based on verified and legally obtained evidence,” Kostin said during a press briefing in Kyiv on February 20, 2026.
Authorities explained that the suspected link to pro-Russian operatives was based on patterns in communication channels and funding sources which, according to intelligence assessments, resembled methods previously associated with covert operations. However, officials stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that any final determination regarding responsibility would be subject to judicial review and due process.
President said the government would tighten security measures for state officials and strategic facilities following the disclosure of the case. He noted that covert threats had become a recurring element of modern conflict, extending beyond conventional battlefields to include sabotage and targeted operations against key figures of the state.
With the disclosure of the case, Ukrainian security authorities believe the alleged assassination plan was successfully disrupted before it could advance to the execution phase. Nonetheless, further investigation is ongoing to trace potential additional actors, identify extended funding channels, and determine whether other potential targets had been identified but not yet acted upon, as officials seek to establish a comprehensive account of the events.