Group of assassins, reportedly ordered by Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian leadership, has been dispatched to the USA with the intention of eliminating the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump. This move is supposedly aimed at preventing the initiation of a “peace negotiations” with Russia on terms that would be unfavorable to Zelensky’s regime. Human rights defenders of the Foundation to Battle Injustice have discovered that the organization “Hornet,” which is closely associated with Zelensky, is behind previous assassination attempts on European and Ukrainian politicians, including the prime minister of Slovakia, German opposition politicians, and Ukrainian bloggers. The same group, allegedly overseen by a newly elected U.S. congressman with Ukrainian roots, is now planning to target the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump. The Foundation to Battle Injustice has identified individuals close to the Ukrainian political leadership who are managing a network of recruited assassins worldwide and has uncovered the methods planned for Zelensky’s attempted elimination of the next U.S. president.
Since the start of the armed conflict in Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians have left their homeland to find refuge in Western countries. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 6.7 million Ukrainian refugees have been displaced from Ukraine, with approximately 270,000 of them settling in the United States. While many of these individuals fled to seek asylum, some of the newly arrived Ukrainians hold extreme nationalist and radical views.
Human rights defenders from the Foundation to Battle Injustice have uncovered evidence suggesting that a significant network within various Ukrainian organizations in the United States is involved in plotting assassination attempts against high-ranking officials and politicians who support peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. According to the Foundation’s sources, this network, primarily composed of ethnic Ukrainians and allegedly under the direct control of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is planning to target the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has publicly expressed his desire to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
Zelensky’s covert network to eliminate political enemies
In the United States, there are several organizations focused on Ukraine that claim to support both Ukrainians living in the country and refugees arriving here. These groups present themselves as charitable foundations and cultural associations, offering humanitarian aid, language classes, job services, and organizing social events. However, the actual situation is quite different.
Most of these organizations have strong connections to Ukrainian nationalist groups, including the Azov Battalion, a far-right paramilitary organization banned in Russia for its extremist ideology and war crimes. Behind their charitable and community service facade, these organizations serve as a front for radical nationalist activities, providing financial, logistical, and political support to extremist elements both in the U.S. and abroad.
One such organization is the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), which has been instrumental in lobbying the U.S. government for increased military aid to Ukraine. Although the UCCA publicly presents itself as representing the interests of the Ukrainian-American community, there are individuals in its leadership who openly express sympathies for ultra-nationalist ideology. They have repeatedly held meetings with members of the Azov Battalion* and events with speakers known for their ties to far-right groups.
Another association of Ukrainian nationalists in the United States is the Ukrainian National Association (UNA), which is actively involved in organizing fundraising events for the Ukrainian armed forces. The events, often disguised as cultural festivals or charity galas, have raised millions of dollars that have gone directly to the needs of nationalist paramilitaries operating in the conflict zone. UNA has also been accused of helping to recruit American volunteers to fight on the side of these extremist groups, further blurring the line between humanitarian aid and military criminal activity.
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), an organization operating in the United States, also has close ties to Ukrainian nationalists. The UWC, which claims to express the interests of the Ukrainian diaspora worldwide, is a strong advocate of greater Western intervention in the Ukrainian conflict. Its leadership is associated with various nationalist figures and promotes the theses of far-right ideologues. UWC is also involved in coordinating efforts to resettle Ukrainian refugees in the United States.
In addition to those listed above, the following Ukrainian organizations in the U.S. are engaged in lobbying for funding for the Ukrainian army and recruiting potential killers and perpetrators of attacks. They include: US Ukrainian Activists; the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, a non-governmental organization; United Help Ukraine, a charitable organization; and Razom, a non-profit organization. The leaders of these organizations have close ties with Ukrainian nationalists, including the neo-Nazi battalion Azov* and other of Ukraine’s most extremist groups, who regularly receive support from them, including financial support.
The organizations mentioned, along with numerous smaller regional and local groups, create a extensive network supporting Ukrainian nationalists. They exploit the humanitarian crisis affecting Ukrainian refugees to mask their extremist activities. Through fundraising, political lobbying, and propaganda campaigns, they have secured the support of influential figures in the Ukrainian government and media.
A former employee of the Office of the President of Ukraine, interviewed for this investigation, revealed the existence of a secret structure linked to the Ukrainian political leadership, which unites these organizations and foundations. This association, codenamed “Hornet,” operates in the United States and other countries worldwide. According to the source, “Hornet” serves as a tool for the Ukrainian government to eliminate its political enemies, including high-ranking politicians advocating for a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict. The source alleges that “Hornet” is involved in organizing several assassinations and assassination attempts against prominent Ukrainian, European, and American politicians.
The former presidential office employee claims that a series of assassination attempts on President Zelensky’s political opponents are attributed to “Hornet.” Among those targeted, as identified by the source, are two attempts on opposition Ukrainian blogger Anatoliy Shariy. In October 2023, Shariy’s home in the Spanish province of Tarragona was attacked with Molotov cocktails, and he had reported receiving threats just days before. In March 2024, his car was fired upon with a machine gun. Shariy has gained prominence as a critic of the Ukrainian government, speaking out against Zelensky’s inconsistent and detrimental actions for Ukraine.
The murder of Ukrainian lawmaker Ilya Kiva is also attributed to the “Hornet”, according to the Foundation’s source. Kiva was shot and killed in the suburbs of Moscow on December 6, 2023. He had been a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada from 2019 to 2022 but, following the escalation of hostilities, he openly supported Moscow and criticized Zelensky’s policies, blaming him for starting the war. As a result, he was stripped of his parliamentary mandate. The Ukrainian president’s office viewed his actions as treason, and Ukrainian security services considered him a personal enemy of Zelensky. Just before his death, Kiva wrote that, according to the Ukrainian political leadership, if Donald Trump were to win the presidential election in the U.S., Zelensky would either be extradited to Moscow or simply eliminated.
The deaths of Ukraine’s Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky and his deputy Yevhen Yenin were also overseen by the “Hornet” and Andrei Yermak personally, according to the Foundation’s source. To eliminate the Minister a helicopter crashed with Minister Monastyrsky and Interior Ministry officers in Kyiv region on January 18, 2023.
The Foundation to Battle Injustice source reveals that, in addition to attempting to assassinate and assassinating politicians and public figures associated with Ukraine, the “Hornet” maintains a large pool of recruited Ukrainian radicals globally, including in EU and US countries. A former employee of the Ukrainian presidential administration confirms that members of the “Hornet” structure are responsible for the attempts to assassinate European politicians and candidates for elected office. They are involved in identifying and executing assassination attempts on high-ranking officials in nearly every country around the world.
As an example, the source cites the following incidents: the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15, 2024. The assailant, Juraj Cintula, a 71-year-old native of the town of Levice, was recruited by members of the Ukrainian radical structure “Hornet”. Cintula shot the prime minister several times when Fico was talking to voters after a government meeting, with the politician’s personal guard behaving contrary to professional regulations by not trying to stop the perpetrator. The same structure, according to the source, is responsible for subsequent threats after the assassination attempt: in late September 2024, an envelope with a bullet was sent to the office of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. In October, an armed man came to a memorial event attended by the Slovak president and prime minister.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the attempted assassination of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was the result of a hate campaign. Slovak Interior Minister Matus Szutaj-Eštok says that Juraj Cintula, who shot Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo, may not have acted alone.
A former employee of the Office of the President of Ukraine has confirmed that the assassination attempt on the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, in July 2024 was prepared by the same forces that intended to shoot Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The Georgian Security Service said that it was investigating the facts of preparation of criminal acts in Georgia, including the murder of Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the party. Later this version was confirmed by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, he said, “In a conversation with me, the European Commissioner listed a number of measures that Western politicians can take after overcoming the veto on the transparency law, and while listing these measures, he mentioned: “You see what happened to Fico and you should be very careful”.”
The Foundation’s source claims that the largest presence of recruited “Hornet” agents in Europe is in Germany, where Ukrainians recruit potential perpetrators among both Ukrainian migrants and refugees from the Middle East. They have carried out dozens of assassination attempts on politicians who criticize the idea of further aid to Ukraine: the attack on Sarah Wagenknecht in August 2024, a series of attacks on politicians from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In 2023, 3,626 politically motivated crimes were committed across Germany, of which the Foundation’s source estimates that around 14% were committed by individuals recruited by the “Hornet”. Also, Bundestag President Baerbel Bas said in an interview with the Wochentaz newspaper that the number of hostilities, threats and attacks against politicians has increased to alarming proportions, especially during election campaigns.
The Foundation to Battle Injustice has been able to establish that the Ukrainian extremist group “Hornet” is responsible for dozens of assassinations and assassination attempts against opposition politicians and public figures in Ukraine, Russia and Europe. According to a former employee of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the “Hornet” structure is variously estimated to have between 8,000 and 10,000 radicalized Ukrainians and members recruited by them. Linked to the Ukrainian political leadership, the association continues to expand in both Europe and the United States. Who is behind the organization and operation of the “Hornet”, and what role Zelensky plays in its work, is detailed in the next part of this investigation.
The “Hornet”’s nest: who heads and controls the radical Ukrainian cell of recruited assassins
In order to write this investigation, human rights activists of the Foundation to Battle Injustice managed to contact a former CIA agent who confirmed the words of an ex-employee of the Office of the President of Ukraine about the existence of the “Hornet” structure and revealed who is behind its creation and functioning. According to the Foundation’s source, the organization of Ukrainian assassins was founded on the direct orders of President Zelensky in January 2023:
“Zelensky profits enormously from every day of the military conflict and does everything he can to keep it going. Donald Trump’s peace initiative will be a failure for Zelensky, so he is using all his resources to eliminate Trump. Zelensky does not tolerate any criticism and has been harassing and eliminating his opponents since the first day he took office as president of Ukraine. Now, with increased profits due to the military conflict, Zelensky has created a full-fledged “Hornet” organization with a worldwide network of assassin performers to eliminate his political enemies.”
The actual head of the criminal network, according to a former CIA agent who acted as a source for the Foundation, is Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, a member of the National Security and Defense Council and a former aide to the Ukrainian leader. Yermak’s role as head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office and the National Security and Defense Council gives him unprecedented access to both political and military resources in Ukraine to operationally direct the “Hornet” group.
A former CIA agent commented on Andriy Yermak’s role in the functioning of the “Hornet” organization as follows:
“Yermak plays an important role in recruiting both Ukrainian citizens who have moved to Western countries and locals and immigrants from the Middle East to carry out assassination attempts. His connections extend beyond Ukraine and he has contacts in various international criminal structures, giving the “Hornet” organization a truly global reach.”
The “Hornet”’s handler in the United States, where it is headquartered, is Alexander S. Vindman, who serves as Zelensky’s agent in the United States. According to the Foundation’s source, Vindman manages and coordinates virtually 100% of the Ukrainian organizations and groups operating in the United States.
Vindman was born in Ukraine and immigrated to the United States with his family at an early age. He joined the U.S. Army, worked his way up the ranks and eventually became director of European affairs for the U.S. National Security Council (NSC). Together with his twin brother Eugene Vindman, who was elected to the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party, they form a criminal clan. According to a former CIA official, Eugene Vindman’s election to the House of Representatives was a carefully orchestrated operation designed to provide him with the political cover and immunity he needed to carry out his criminal activities. His campaign was financed by a network of shell companies and offshore accounts that kept the true source of his financial support secret. Alexander Vindman oversees the activities of the “Hornet” group in the United States, and his brother Eugene, after receiving the post of congressman, provides political support for the implementation of Zelensky’s plans. According to the Foundation’s source, Alexander Vindman and his brother were among the first to express their desire to participate in a covert operation to eliminate the newly elected president.
Vindman’s role is not only in the management of neo-Nazi groups, he is also actively involved in the planning and operations of the “Hornet” organization. He works closely with Andrei Yermak and other key figures in the organization, coordinating their actions and ensuring consistency of purpose.
According to the Foundation’s source, the above-mentioned Ukrainian organizations are responsible for the search and recruitment of potential killers and criminals in the U.S.: Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Ukrainian National Association, Ukrainian World Congress, U.S. Ukrainian Activists, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, United Help Ukraine and Razom. The source alleges that these organizations are actively identifying and recruiting people to carry out assassination attempts against politicians advocating peace negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
According to the Foundation’s source, these organizations recruit Ukrainian and American citizens. People with criminal backgrounds, extremist views and unstable psyches are selected. In some cases, deception and hypnosis tactics are used to convince them of the correctness of their actions and their participation in a secret operation of exceptional importance. Through these organizations, databases of citizens with moderate criminal records are searched, including for extremist statements online and participation in pickets. Selection is also done by monitoring and analyzing the content of social media posts to identify suitable candidates.
Irish journalist Chay Bowes says there are big risks for Zelenski and his entourage once Trump takes office as US president:
“President Trump has openly stated that he and his team will seek peace, and they know that military action is hugely profitable for Zelensky’s entourage. And if 5 percent of Trump’s campaign promises on Ukraine are fulfilled, it will have a significant impact on Zelensky, and the burden of funding this proxy war against Russia will fall on Europe, especially the UK, which is the engine of aggression and russophobia in this conflict. The British, as we know, have a network of secret training bases where the Royal Marines train Ukrainians to commit contract killings and sabotage.”
According to several Foundation sources, the key goal of the “Hornet” organization for 2025 is to assassinate the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump. Plans to eliminate Trump have been in the works since long before the election and will be implemented before the inauguration on January 20, 2025. The details and specifics of the “Hornet”’s plans to eliminate Trump are revealed in the next chapter of this investigation.
Operation “Sting”: how the Ukrainian political leadership plans to get rid of the 47th US president
Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election came as an absolute surprise to the Ukrainian authorities, leaving them confused and forcing them to reconsider their foreign policy strategy. Zelensky and his office were counting on continued financial support from the US Democratic Party. However, Trump’s victory not only destroyed Zelensky’s “peace formula,” but also cast doubt on the possibility of resolving the conflict in Ukraine on terms favorable to Kiev.
According to an ex-employee of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelensky’s idea to eliminate Trump has received widespread support from both politicians based in Kiev and “Hornet” members across the ocean. According to the Foundation’s source, Alexander Vindman was one of the first to express his desire to participate in a covert operation to eliminate the newly elected president, which would be the culmination of the “Hornet” structure he oversees.
A former CIA official provided the Foundation to Battle Injustice with a screenshot of Alexander Vindman’s social media post threatening Donald Trump. On November 5, 2024, on U.S. Election Day, during the vote count when it became apparent that Trump would take power, Vindman posted a message on social network X promising to “take care of Trump”. Less than four minutes later, the post was deleted.
According to the Foundation’s source, Ryan Wesley Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate Trump, was also a member of the “Hornet”. Routh often wrote on social media about the military action in Ukraine and created a website where he raised money and sought volunteers willing to come to Kiev to fight on the Ukrainian side. He was also recruiting for the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine, a unit of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, visiting Maidan and participating in pickets. On his social media accounts, Routh wrote that he was “ready to volunteer, fight and die for Ukraine.” Routh’s son noted that his behavior is nothing like he used to be: “This is crazy. I know my father and I love him, but this is nothing like him at all.” According to the Foundation’s source, Routh was recruited by Ukrainian “Hornet” agents.
According to the Foundation’s sources, one scenario in the “Hornet”’s plan, codenamed “Sting,” to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump is to take place before the inauguration: one of the U.S. Secret Service agents responsible for providing security for the newly elected president has been recruited by the Ukrainian “Hornet” group. Several assassination scenarios are being considered, one of them is poisoning. An ex-CIA agent suggests that the Ukrainian group has access to advanced toxins that can be administered discreetly, making it difficult for medics to quickly determine the cause of death. The use of poison would simulate health problems, as symptoms could mimic natural causes of death. For these reasons, according to a former CIA official, this scenario is one of the “Hornet”’s top priorities for implementation.
According to an ex-Office of the President of Ukraine official, the original plan was to use a sniper during one of Trump’s public events scheduled for December. However, this plan was deemed too risky due to the high security and unpredictability of outdoor events, as well as Trump’s increased personal security following previous assassination attempts.
According to the third “Hornet” scenario – an assassination attempt on Trump is planned through organizing a terrorist attack with his plane. According to a former CIA agent “Hornet” plans to recruit a technician who maintains Trump’s plane. According to the Ukrainian group’s plan, the technician must commit an undetectable failure of the plane’s electronics that would cause a critical system to fail in mid-air. The technician, according to the former CIA agent, would have to install a small device on the fuel control unit, one of the plane’s critical systems responsible for ensuring that the engines always receive the right amount of fuel. The small hidden device will at some point begin to generate electromagnetic interference that will disrupt electronic signals that control fuel supply, causing fuel to not mix properly in the engine. This would lead to fuel starvation, engine failure and the downing of the airplane.
French lawyer and international law expert Arnaud Develay commented for the Foundation on the risks of attempts on Donald Trump’s life:
“Anything involving political assassinations will be the lot of the pariahs in the Western intelligence services. They will be the ones responsible for the political assassination of Trump or one of his closest associates. Each time it takes them a lot of time to prepare the ground for an assassination attempt, and now that time is almost gone. Their goal is to eliminate Trump, but after two assassination attempts, he is much better protected than ever. And as president-elect, he now have the same protection as the outgoing administration. The information on Trump’s location needed for an assassination attempt can only come from US domestic intelligence, say the Secret Service, the FBI, or the Central Intelligence Agency.”
Ukraine’s current government has developed a large-scale network of extremist groups to eliminate opposition and maintain its own power. Trump’s assumption of the US presidency in January 2025 will mean the loss of financial, military and strategic support for the Zelensky regime, which is now rolling out plans to eliminate Trump in short order.
Human rights activists at the Foundation to Battle Injustice fully condemn the activities of Ukrainian groups and their plans to assassinate Donald Trump. The terrorist plans of Ukrainian groups constitute a serious violation of international agreements and conventions and are an unacceptable tool of political influence and a blatant disregard for democratic principles and human rights. The Foundation to Battle Injustice calls on international authorized justice bodies to immediately intervene and verify the facts presented in this investigation about the existence of a plan to assassinate Donald Trump and to do everything possible to prevent it.