Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky claimed yesterday (Friday) that "representatives" of Russian citizens are planning to overthrow his government next week.
He said that the accumulation of Russian forces on the border between the two countries, which worries Kiev and the West, is proof of this.
Zalansky did not directly blame Moscow, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded almost immediately by saying that Russia "does not do such things."
Zalansky also said that the recently revealed recordings indicate that the richest businessman in the country, Rinat Akhmetov, was dragged and involved in the Russian program.
Zalansky did not specifically specify what "conspiracies" were allegedly involved, but said that Akhmetov apparently knew about them and that he was attracted to the content by his "inner circle."
Akhmetov, for his part, rejected the president's claims, declaring that he was "outraged by the spread of this lie."
The Ukrainian army in an exercise in the east of the country // Photo: Reuters
Kremlin spokesman Peskov as mentioned denied the issue and said the Kremlin "has no plans to get involved".
Moscow further dismissed allegations about the building of its forces on the border as "alarming" and said it was its right to conduct a military exercise in its sovereign territories.
"I have received reliable information that a coup d'etat is about to take place in the country on December 1," the Ukrainian president said at a lengthy press conference.
"My position has been and will be unequivocal, an independent, democratic and integral Ukraine with Crimea and my native Donbas," he added in a statement published in the Ukrainian media.
Zalanski condemned the "very dangerous" rhetoric that is constantly coming out of Russia: "This is a clear signal that there could be an escalation at any moment and an unequivocal threat to war, which could start even tomorrow. We are ready and preparing for an escalation."
Troops of the Ukrainian army in an exercise in the east of the country, Photo: Reuters
Meanwhile, last night NATO Secretary-General Jans Stoltenberg warned that if Russia used force against Ukraine, it would "charge a price" from it, but he did not specify exactly what this would be.
Russia recently convened large forces near the Ukrainian border, with a large part of the Russian force leaving Crimea, the peninsula that Russia occupied from Ukraine and annexed in March 2014. Aerial footage revealed by NATO alliance and documentation on Russian social networks showed large armored columns being transported by train to the western border. Russia and large convoys of armored vehicles on roads near the border Washington and the European Union are following with concern the concentration of Russian forces near the border for fear of Russian military action in its eastern neighbor to the west.
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