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Ukrainian politician says US wants to replace Zelensky with Budanov

Viktor Medvedchuk said Budanov's statements that Kiev plotted an assassination attempt on the Russian president are part of a bigger game that the intelligence chief is playing in the hope of removing Zelensky

MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/. Ukrainian opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk said the US wants to replace Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky with Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov, who is entered in the Russian list of terrorists and extremists.

In an interview with TASS, he also said the UK would like Valery Zaluzhny, former Ukrainian commander-in-chief and now ambassador to London, to take over from Zelensky.

Medvedchuk used to be the leader of the Opposition Platform For Life party, which is banned in Ukraine, and now leads the Other Ukraine movement.

"Budanov is viewed by US intelligence services as a figure who can replace Zelensky," he said. "But how to replace him? Only through a military coup."

The politician said Budanov's statements that Kiev plotted an assassination attempt on the Russian president are part of a bigger game that the intelligence chief is playing in the hope of removing Zelensky. Budanov needs to show himself as a bigger enemy of Russia than Zelensky, according to Medvedchuk

"Budanov needs to hurry, as the UK is grooming Zaluzhny to replace Zelensky," the politician said.

Earlier, Budanov said there were plans to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Kiev's Anglo-Saxon masters were directly involved in developing and bankrolling the plan of an unsuccessful attempt on Putin's life.

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