Ukraine’s President Claims Russia-Backed Coup Plot Involving Key Ukrainian Oligarch

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters at a Nov. 26 press briefing in Kyiv that his country’s intelligence services have uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup, prompting the Kremlin to deny the allegations. Zelensky claimed at the briefing that Ukrainian intelligence unearthed evidence of an imminent coup plot planned for Dec. 1 or 2, calling the development “important.” He added that, in addition to the coup threat assessment by Ukrainian intelligence, audio recordings have emerged of an alleged meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials discussing plans for the coup, which was allegedly to be funded by one of Ukraine’s richest oligarchs, Rinat Akhmetov. “I think they’re trying to set up” Akhmetov, the Ukrainian president said. “I think that this is an operation and they’re trying to drag him into a war against Ukraine,” Zelensky added, with his remarks coming in the context of a Russian military buildup near its border …