Enlarge image
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj speaks in Kiev about the alleged coup plans
Photo: HANDOUT / AFP
Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been tense for years.
Moscow has annexed the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and supports separatists in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.
Now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of going further.
Allegedly Moscow is planning a coup in Ukraine.
"I have received the information that a coup d'état will take place in our country on December 1st," Zelenskyi told journalists in Kiev.
There are sound recordings on which representatives of Russia and the richest Ukrainian Rinat Akhmetov are planning an overthrow.
Perhaps the entrepreneur was only supposed to be dragged in and had nothing to do with it, said the 43-year-old head of state.
But he will confront Akhmetov with the recordings.
The Kremlin in Moscow immediately rejected Zelenskyi's remarks.
“Russia had no plans to take part.
And Russia never deals with such matters, ”said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Interfax agency.
Controversial issue of the oligarch law
Akhmetov is seen as an opponent of a recently passed law aimed at curtailing the political influence of ultra-rich Ukrainians known as oligarchs.
Since then, Zelenskyi has been severely criticized on Akhmetov's television channels.
Selenskyj, on the other hand, finds support on the TV channel of his sponsor Ihor Kolomojskyj.
The Oligarch Law was passed in September.
It provides for the creation of a register for so-called oligarchs.
They are then not allowed to support any parties, not participate in privatizations and have to disclose their assets.
Oligarchs are primarily media owners worth millions who are at the same time monopolists in their main area of business and try to exert political influence.
The law is to apply for ten years.
mrc / dpa
