Poland: We Stopped Plot to Kill Zelensky

A Polish man has been arrested on allegations that he was trying to help Russia assassinate Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, prosecutors in Poland said Thursday. The man, identified only as Pawel K., allegedly planned to pass on security information about Poland's Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, which is near the Ukraine border and has become a hub of international aid to the nation, reports the AP. His ultimate intent was to help Russian intel services plan a Zelensky assassination, according to the office of Poland's National Prosecutor.

"This case is yet another proof that Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but also to the entire free world," said Ukraine Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin. Much is unclear about the case, however. The Kyiv Independent, for example, reports that the man was acting "on his own initiative" and that it's unclear whether he passed along any information to Russian agents. However, Atlas News cites a translated release from Polish officials that refers to the suspect as a "recruited agent." Russia's role in the matter will presumably be clarified as the case unfolds. In the meantime, the man faces up to eight years in prison on charges of working with foreign intelligence services. The airport in question is under the control of US troops. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)