Is Putin planning a coup? Ukrainian President raises allegations

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is getting worse.

The Ukrainian President accuses Putin of planning a coup in December.

Kiev - The situation between Russia and Ukraine is getting worse.

The US secret service recently expressed concern about the movement of Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian border.

Intelligence reports feared that Russia might launch an attack on Ukraine next year.

According to the Ukrainian President, Vladimir Putin does not want to wait that long: He accused Russia of planning a coup in early December.

Putin supports coup d'état - Zelenskyi raises allegations

"I have received the information that a coup d'état will take place in our country on December 1st," President Volodymyr Zelenskyi told journalists in Kiev on Friday (November 26th). There are sound recordings on which representatives of Russia and the richest Ukrainian entrepreneur Rinat Akhmetov are planning an overthrow. “We are facing challenges - not just from the Russian Federation and a possible escalation. We have internal challenges, ”he continued. However, Ukraine has full control over its borders and is ready in the event of an escalation in relations with Russia.

The head of state wants to check whether the Ukrainian oligarch is actually involved in the coup.

Perhaps the entrepreneur should just be drawn in and have nothing to do with it, said Selenskyj.

But he will confront Akhmetov with the recordings.

Akhmetov is seen as an opponent of a recently passed law aimed at curtailing the political influence of Ukrainian oligarchs.

Since then, Zelenskyi has been severely criticized on Akhmetov's television channels.

Merkel threatens with consequences - Kremlin rejects allegations

Several politicians have already expressed concern about Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border. On Thursday (November 25th) the Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel promised the Ukrainian President her support. In the telephone conversation she underlined her support “for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine” and stressed with regard to Russia “that its undermining would not remain without consequences”.

The Kremlin in Moscow immediately denied all allegations.

“Russia had no plans to take part.

And Russia never deals with such matters, ”said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Interfax news agency.

However, this is not the first time that Russia has stoked tensions on the Ukrainian border: in March Putin had already pulled thousands of soldiers and heavy military equipment together in a massive deployment of troops near the Ukrainian border and in the region of the annexed Crimean peninsula.

After weeks, Moscow finally declared the alleged maneuver over and withdrew its soldiers.

(sf / dpa / AFP)