The president of Ukraine has claimed that his security services have uncovered a plot to stage a coup d’etat in the country at the start of next month. President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a Friday press conference that the plotters—who he said are Ukrainian and Russian—were caught on audio files discussing plans to try and involve the country’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, in their scheme. “I believe [Akhmetov] is being dragged into the war against Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “This will be a big mistake, because you cannot fight against your people.” Zelensky has become critical of industrial tycoon Akhmetov and launched a so-called “de-oligarchization” of the country which aims to reduce the power of the super rich. A recent build-up of Russian troops along its border with Ukraine has prompted fears that Russia, which seized the Crimea region from Ukraine in 2014, will soon attempt to annex more of the country.
