Ukraine thwarts alleged coup scheme, officials say

A group of people were detained on suspicion of planning a coup in Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office.

A post on the Prosecutor General’s official Telegram page on Monday said police “exposed a group of pseudo-activists who were preparing provocations” in the country’s capital on June 30.

Four citizens were charged by local prosecutors over distribution of materials calling for violent overthrow of Ukraine’s government and constitutional order, the post said. Two individuals were remanded in custody.

Investigators said that between May and June, a group of people disseminated posts online discrediting Ukraine’s current leadership and pushing for a seize of state power.

The alleged coup’s organizer, who is said to be a local public union head with prior record of participation in “fruitless” provocations [against the government], rented a hall in Kyiv with a capacity of around 2,000.

Authorities also said he was attempting to recruit servicemen and private militia to help carry out the plan.

The organizer’s accomplices were said to be from the Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions, in the east and north of the country, respectively.

According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, the head of an NGO from Prykarpattia was also approached to join the group, but they refused due to the “obvious illegality.”

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU or SBU) said the group “has been known for its anti-Ukrainian actions since 2015.”

They allegedly hoped to seize the building where Ukraine’s parliament meets, which is located in the center of Kyiv.

The group reportedly communicated via various messaging platforms and would meet in small groups of three people.

Law enforcement said that searches at the homes of involved suspects yielded weapons and ammunition, mobile phones, and computer equipment with “evidence of criminal acts.”

The detainees were arrested under chapters one, two, and three, article nine, of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (actions and calls for action aimed at violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power), according to a release from the SSU.

People who were encouraged to attend the event by organizers were not fully aware of its true intentions, authorities said.

The SSU said the organizers hoped to “destabilize the socio-political situation inside [Ukraine], which would play in favor of the Russian Federation.”

If found guilty, those involved could face up to 10 years in prison. The investigation is ongoing.

Newsweek has contacted the SBU and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office for additional information.

Update, 7/1/24, 4:34 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office.

Update, 7/1/24, 5:13 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information from the SSU.

Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about the Russia-Ukraine war? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com