Kyiv Successfully Thwarts Planned Coup Against Zelenskyy Government
The Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidential term ended in May after five years.
Ukrainian authorities claim they stopped a coup attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said on July 1 that law enforcement discovered a group planning provocations in Kyiv on June 30.
According to the office, the alleged plotters used multiple social media accounts to discredit the current leadership, challenge the constitutional order, and seize power in Ukraine.
The group planned to storm the parliament building in Kyiv and establish a provisional government with the help of renegade military personnel and private security contractors.
Four people have been detained in connection with the plot, and two of them have been charged, the prosecutor general’s office reported.
The Epoch Times could not independently verify the claims.
Election Issues
Rumors of impending coups against the Ukrainian government have surfaced intermittently in recent months.
In February, Ukraine’s intelligence directorate claimed Russia was plotting a coup attempt against Mr. Zelenskyy in the spring.
It warned of Russian attempts to sow panic and discord in Kyiv to question the Ukrainian leader’s legitimacy after his term ended on May 20.
The scheduled presidential election on March 31 was postponed indefinitely in late 2023 as long as martial law was in effect.
Martial law was imposed in early 2022 after Russia invaded eastern Ukraine.

Martial law has been extended repeatedly by Ukraine’s parliament, which is dominated by Mr. Zelenskyy’s party.
Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, a Zelenskyy ally, has rejected claims questioning the president’s legitimacy and spreading false information.
Western supporters of Kyiv understand the challenges faced by Mr. Zelenskyy.
A U.S. State Department spokesman mentioned the difficulty of conducting elections during a war but emphasized that it is a decision for the people of Ukraine to make.

Heavy Fighting
Recent reports suggest a deteriorating battlefield situation for Mr. Zelenskyy.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed capturing additional villages in the Donetsk region on June 30.
Earlier, they reported capturing the Donetsk settlement of Rozdolivka, indicating ongoing heavy fighting in the area.
Since February, Russian forces have made incremental gains in Donetsk and Kharkiv.
Russia invaded eastern Ukraine in 2022 to protect Russian speakers in Donbas and annexed several regions, a move rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.
Kyiv remains committed to battling Russian forces until all regions are recovered.
Reuters contributed to this report.