jfid – You might be surprised to hear that Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State known for his roles in the Cold War, Vietnam War, and diplomacy with China, is now on the hit list of Russian spies in Ukraine.
This revelation comes from Ukraine’s domestic security agency (SBU) on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.
According to the SBU, they successfully thwarted an assassination plan targeting three key figures in Ukraine: Defense Minister Andriy Taran, Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov, and pro-democracy activist Vitaly Shabunin.
The suspects are allegedly linked to Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU), employing sabotage groups to carry out their missions.
SBU claims the suspects were promised up to $150,000 USD (approximately 2.2 billion IDR) by Russian brokers for each successfully executed target.
Moreover, they were provided with a list of other names deemed as enemies of Russia, including 100-year-old Henry Kissinger.
Why would Henry Kissinger be a target for Russia? The answer might be connected to his statements at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in May 2022.
There, he suggested that Ukraine should cede some of its territory to Russia to restore the situation to the previous status quo when Russia still controlled Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine.
This statement drew criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who asserted that Kissinger was living in the past and not respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity.
Kissinger himself has not responded to the assassination plot against him. However, his spokesperson stated that he continues to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, hoping for both countries to maintain positive relations with Europe and the world.
Meanwhile, the Russian government has not officially commented on the SBU’s accusations. Some state-managed Russian media outlets dismiss the assassination plan as Ukrainian propaganda, aiming to garner sympathy from the West and tarnish Russia’s image.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated since February 2023 when Russia launched a large-scale invasion into Ukraine, claiming it was to protect Russian citizens there.
Ukraine, backed by NATO and Western nations, seeks to defend its sovereignty and rejects Russian annexation. As of now, there are no signs of a resolution to the conflict, despite diplomatic efforts and ceasefires.
