Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev calls for Volodymyr Zelensky to be killed
Russia’s former president called for Volodymyr Zelensky to be killed on Wednesday after the Kremlin accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack aimed at assassinating the country’s current leader Vladimir Putin.
Ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, who is now a top security official, called for the “physical elimination” of Zelensky in a Telegram post on Wednesday following the purported Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin.
“After today’s terrorist attack, there are no options left but the physical elimination of Zelensky and his clique,” Medvedev wrote.
The former president noted that Zelensky was not necessary for Ukraine’s “unconditional surrender,” the independent Russian news outlet Meduza reported.
“Hitler, as we know, didn’t sign [a surrender agreement] either,” Medvedev wrote.
“There will always be some replacement, like figurehead president Admiral Dönitz,” referencing the German admiral who briefly was head of state after Hitler.
Video of the alleged attack Wednesday shows a bright explosion over the Kremlin Senate Building— which houses Putin’s residence — but Russian embassy officials said no one was killed or injured.
“The President has not suffered in this terrorist attack,” the embassy said on Telegram. “His working schedule remains unchanged and follows its ordinary course.”
Russia said its military and state security services used “radar systems” to “disable” two drones on the Kremlin grounds “without causing any casualties or damage.”
In a statement, the Kremlin said it reserved the right to retaliate for the strike, which it considers “a planned terrorist attack and an attempt on the president,” even though Putin was not there at the time.
Russia’s claim has not been verified, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had nothing to do with the incident and would not use critical weaponry to attack Moscow.
“We fight on our territory; we’re defending our buildings and cities. We don’t have enough weapons for this,” Zelensky said. “For us, that is a deficit – we can’t spend it. We didn’t attack Putin. We leave it to [the United Nations] tribunal.”
If the Kremlin’s accusation is confirmed to be true, it would be the most aggressive retaliatory strike on Russia since the country launched its invasion of Ukraine in February of last year.
Russia has blamed Ukraine for several drone strikes across the border since the start of the war, though Ukraine typically does not claim responsibility for most of the incidents.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he couldn’t validate reports of the attack.
“I would take anything coming out of the Kremlin with a very large shaker of salt. We’ll see what the facts are,” Blinken said.
Russia’s claim comes as Ukraine prepares a highly-anticipated counteroffensive aimed at reclaiming territory seized by Russian forces.
Ahead of the counteroffensive, the White House on Wednesday announced it would send an additional $300 million in additional weaponry from US stocks ahead of the upcoming offensive.
The latest package will include ammunition for HIMARS rockets systems, 155mm howitzers and accompanying artillery, mortar rounds, anti-armor weapon systems and trucks and trailers.
The total amount sent to Ukraine in security assistance since President Biden took office now tops $36.4 billion.
