Russian Official Says Moscow Would Not Assassinate, Capture Zelensky

(MENAFN) A senior Russian lawmaker has stated that Moscow would not pursue the capture or assassination of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, arguing that such actions would harm Russia’s international standing, according to reports.

Valentina Matviyenko, who leads Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, made the remarks during a televised interview. She dismissed comparisons to alleged US operations abroad, emphasizing that adopting similar tactics would contradict Russia’s approach and damage its global reputation.

“It is not our style. We are a country that respects itself and is respected by others. We would lose that respect if we resorted to such methods,” Matviyenko said.

She also criticized previous US actions, suggesting they failed to deliver meaningful results while leaving lasting damage to the country’s image.

She added that although the US “achieved nothing” by killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, “the stain on its reputation will remain in history forever.”

Despite ruling out such operations, Matviyenko argued that Zelensky bears responsibility for the ongoing conflict and should instead be held accountable through legal proceedings.

Matviyenko added, however, that Zelensky, who she blamed for the Ukraine conflict, should “face trial … and be punished for his actions.”

Separately, Ukrainian officials have previously claimed that several assassination attempts against Zelensky were thwarted in 2022, though no detailed evidence was publicly provided. Russian authorities have rejected those assertions, describing them as unfounded.

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