New Delhi: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the Ukrainians had a plan in place to ensure the “continuity of the government” if President Volodymyr Zelensky was killed by Russia.
“What if Russia kills Zelensky,” CBS news anchor Margaret Brennan bluntly asked Blinken on her show “Face the Nation” Sunday.
Reminding Blinken that Zelensky has repeatedly said these were his final days, Brennan asked the secretary: “What will be the consequence? Are there any contingency plans to support the Ukraine government without him at the helm?”
Blinken first praised Zelensky and his government for their resilience. “They have been the embodiment of this really brave Ukrainian people,” he said.
Then tentatively answered Brennan’s question: “I am not going to talk about it, but there are plans in place to maintain continuity of government one way or the other.”
The Times has reported that three assassination attempts were made on Zelensky last week. It said two outfits are out to kill the Ukrainian president – the Kremlin-backed mercenaries, Wagner Group, and Chechen special forces.
Russia said Monday it will hold fire in four Ukrainian cities, including capital Kyiv, to allow civilians to be evacuated via “humanitarian corridors”. Previous such promises have not been kept by Russia as it gears to talk a third time with the Ukrainians on Monday.
News agency RIA published maps that show the corridor from Kyiv would lead to Russian ally Belarus. Citizens from Kharkiv would have a corridor going to Russia. Corridors from Mariupol and Sumy would lead to other Ukrainian cities as well as to Russia, Reuters reported.
Russia’s defence ministry said citizens would also be airlifted from Kyiv to Russia.
The United Nations has said more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine. Millions will follow, and thousands will die if Russia continues with the offensive, experts said.
Ukrainians fear that Russia was amassing weaponry and manpower to storm Kyiv, a city of three million people.
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