{"id":113729,"date":"2022-04-26T11:42:38","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T15:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=113729"},"modified":"2022-05-05T15:19:29","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T19:19:29","slug":"mut-read-cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-says-ukraine-defector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=113729","title":{"rendered":"<h2>MUST READ! <b>CIA Behind Secret Plots to Kidnap, Torture and Assassinate Ukrainian Dissidents, says Ukraine Defector<\/b><\/h2>"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--more-->by Jeremy Kuzmarov<br \/>\nCovert Action Magazine<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Techniques of Torture and Assassination Deployed by the SBU (Ukraine\u2019s CIA) Recall the U.S.\u2019s Brutal \u201cOperation Phoenix\u201d in Vietnam<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Vasily Prozorov, a former officer with the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) stated soon after his defection to Russia in 2018 that the SBU had been advised by the CIA since 2014.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cCIA employees [who have been present in Kyiv since 2014]<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u00a0are residing in clandestine apartments and suburban houses,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0he said.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cHowever, they frequently come to the SBU\u2019s central office for holding, for example, specific meetings or plotting secret operations.\u201d<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>See video:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37028 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?resize=310%2C465&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?w=310&amp;ssl=1 310w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?resize=150%2C225&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?resize=300%2C450&amp;ssl=1 300w\" alt=\"A picture containing person, outdoor, standing Description automatically generated\" width=\"696\" height=\"1044\" data-attachment-id=\"37028\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?fit=310%2C465&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"310,465\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?fit=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-outdoor-standing-de.jpeg?fit=310%2C465&amp;ssl=1\" \/><figcaption>Vasily Prozorov (left) at work in the anti-terrorist operation zone in Donetsk region with Colonel Sergey Krivonos. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/ukraine-involved-mh17-downing-claims-14184413\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mirror.co.uk<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37029 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?resize=669%2C470&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?w=669&amp;ssl=1 669w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?resize=300%2C211&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?resize=150%2C105&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?resize=100%2C70&amp;ssl=1 100w\" alt=\"A person in a suit sitting at a desk with a microphone Description automatically generated with medium confidence\" width=\"669\" height=\"470\" data-attachment-id=\"37029\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?fit=669%2C470&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"669,470\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?fit=300%2C211&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-in-a-suit-sitting-at-a-desk-with-a-microp.jpeg?fit=669%2C470&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Vasily Prozorov [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tellerreport.com\/news\/--mh17-disaster--sabotage-in-the-donbass-and-election-fraud--what-the-ex-employee-of-the-sbu-told-at-a-press-conference-.rJfyBLtLOV.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">tellerreport.com<\/a>].<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Prozorov\u2019s revelations take on extremely ominous implications in light of a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">new report<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<em>The Grayzone Project<\/em>\u00a0detailing the SBU\u2019s participation in a campaign of assassination, kidnapping and torture overseen by Ukrainian President and Western media darling Volodymyr Zelensky.<\/p>\n<p>The campaign bears comparison with Operation Phoenix in South Vietnam, which resulted in the killing, imprisonment and torture of thousands of South Vietnamese, including civilian officials accused of being loyal to the left-wing, anti-imperialist National Liberation Front (NLF).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37030 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=696%2C391&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=150%2C84&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?resize=1068%2C601&amp;ssl=1 1068w\" alt=\"Phoenix Program | CIA at Work in Vietnam (Marine Reacts) - YouTube\" width=\"696\" height=\"391\" data-attachment-id=\"37030\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?fit=1280%2C720&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/phoenix-program-or-cia-at-work-in-vietnam-marine-r.jpeg?fit=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Phung Hoang or Phoenix program image. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ytAKoF-PR-A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">youtube.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During congressional hearings in 1971, Ogden Reid (D-NY) said that, \u201cif the Union had had a Phoenix program during the Civil War, its targets would have been civilians like Jefferson Davis or the mayor of Macon, Georgia.\u201d<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-1\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-2 is-cropped\">\n<ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\" data-carousel-extra=\"{&quot;blog_id&quot;:1,&quot;permalink&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/covertactionmagazine.com\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/25\\\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\\\/&quot;}\">\n<li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37031 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"Obituaries: Ogden Reid - Rye Record\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" data-attachment-id=\"37031\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?fit=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"500,500\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1551773706&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/obituaries-ogden-reid-rye-record.jpeg?fit=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"37031\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Ogden Reid [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ryerecord.com\/obituaries-ogden-reid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ryerecord.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37032 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?resize=191%2C264&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?w=191&amp;ssl=1 191w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?resize=150%2C207&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"264\" data-attachment-id=\"37032\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/word-image-383\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?fit=191%2C264&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"191,264\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"word-image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?fit=191%2C264&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/word-image-40.jpeg?fit=191%2C264&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"37032\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Phoenix program emblem. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Phoenix_Program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wikipedia.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In the Ukrainian case, one of the targets of the SBU death squads was the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mayor of the eastern city of Kreminna in the Ukrainian-controlled side of Luhansk, Volodymyr Struk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On March 1, Struk was kidnapped by men in military uniform and then shot in the heart, with his tortured body displayed before the public. Struk had reportedly urged his Ukrainian colleagues to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rostov-tsargrad-tv.translate.goog\/news\/v-luganskoj-oblasti-podkontrolnoj-ukraine-ubit-mjer-kremennoj-vladimir-struk_505061?_x_tr_sl=ru&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en&amp;_x_tr_pto=sc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">compromise<\/a>\u00a0and negotiate with pro-Russian officials.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37034 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?resize=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?resize=150%2C84&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?resize=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"Volodymyr Struk, Mayor of Kremennaya, Killed in Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" data-attachment-id=\"37034\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?fit=720%2C405&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,405\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volodymyr-struk-mayor-of-kremennaya-killed-in-uk.jpeg?fit=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Volodymyr Struk [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rostov-tsargrad-tv.translate.goog\/news\/v-luganskoj-oblasti-podkontrolnoj-ukraine-ubit-mjer-kremennoj-vladimir-struk_505061?_x_tr_sl=ru&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en&amp;_x_tr_pto=sc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">rostov.tsargrad.tv<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, celebrated the mayor\u2019s murder,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/wip\/HDyUm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">declaring on his Telegram page<\/a>: \u201cThere is one less traitor in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37035 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?resize=360%2C230&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?w=360&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?resize=150%2C96&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"Anton Gerashchenko: Sheremet Was Killed To Destabilize Situation In Ukraine - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk\" width=\"360\" height=\"230\" data-attachment-id=\"37035\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?fit=360%2C230&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"360,230\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?fit=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anton-gerashchenko-sheremet-was-killed-to-destabi.jpeg?fit=360%2C230&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Anton Gerashchenko [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/charter97.org\/en\/news\/2016\/8\/3\/216598\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">charter97.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gerashchenko has compiled a \u201cblacklist of enemies of the state.\u201d It includes journalists who have been murdered by state-backed death squads, such as prominent columnist\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/storyline\/ukraine-crisis\/pro-russian-journalist-oles-buzina-shot-dead-kiev-masked-gunmen-n342661\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Oles Buzina<\/a>, whose name had appeared on the list.<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-2\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37036 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=696%2C933&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=224%2C300&amp;ssl=1 224w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=764%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 764w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C1029&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=150%2C201&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=300%2C402&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?resize=696%2C933&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"A person sitting in a chair Description automatically generated with low confidence\" width=\"696\" height=\"933\" data-attachment-id=\"37036\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-7\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?fit=800%2C1072&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,1072\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?fit=224%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-person-sitting-in-a-chair-description-automatic-1.jpeg?fit=696%2C933&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Oles Buzina [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oles_Buzina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wikipedia.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37037 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=696%2C370&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?w=1268&amp;ssl=1 1268w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=1024%2C544&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=768%2C408&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=150%2C80&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=696%2C370&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?resize=1068%2C568&amp;ssl=1 1068w\" alt=\"Oles Buzina\" width=\"696\" height=\"370\" data-attachment-id=\"37037\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/oles-buzina\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?fit=1268%2C674&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1268,674\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"oles-buzina\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?fit=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oles-buzina.jpeg?fit=696%2C370&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Scene of Buzina\u2019s murder. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/volodymyr-zelensky-secret-police-hunted-down-opposition-anatoly-shariy\/280200\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mintpressnews.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As of today, eleven mayors in Ukrainian towns are missing. On March 7, the mayor of Gostomel, Yuri Prylypko, was found murdered. Prylypko had\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sozh-info.translate.goog\/mehr-gostomelya-kievskojj-oblasti-yurijj-prilipko-byl-ubit-sbu\/?_x_tr_sl=ru&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en&amp;_x_tr_pto=sc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">reportedly entered into negotiations<\/a>\u00a0with the Russian military to organize a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of his city\u2019s residents\u2014a red line for Ukrainian ultra-nationalists who had long been in conflict with the mayor\u2019s office. (The Ukrainians claim that Prylopko was killed by Russian soldiers while distributing food and medicine)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37038 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=696%2C523&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?w=957&amp;ssl=1 957w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=150%2C113&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=696%2C523&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?resize=265%2C198&amp;ssl=1 265w\" alt=\"A picture containing person, person, music Description automatically generated\" width=\"696\" height=\"523\" data-attachment-id=\"37038\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?fit=957%2C719&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"957,719\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-person-music-descri.jpeg?fit=696%2C523&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Yuri Prylypko [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukrinform.net\/rubric-ato\/3422470-russian-invaders-kill-hostomel-mayor.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ukrinform.net<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Then there was the murder of Denis Kireev, a top member of the Ukrainian negotiating team, who was killed in broad daylight in Kyiv after the first round of talks with Russia. Kireev was subsequently\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/ukraine-reports-claim-negotiator-shot-for-treason-officials-say-he-died-in-intel-op\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">accused<\/a>\u00a0in local Ukrainian media of \u201ctreason.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37039 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?resize=640%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?resize=150%2C94&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"Denis Kireev (social media)\" width=\"640\" height=\"400\" data-attachment-id=\"37039\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/denis-kireev-social-media\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?fit=640%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,400\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"denis-kireev-social-media\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?fit=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/denis-kireev-social-media.jpeg?fit=640%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Denis Kireev [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/ukraine-reports-claim-negotiator-shot-for-treason-officials-say-he-died-in-intel-op\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">timesofisrael.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>President Zelensky stated that \u201cthere would be consequences for collaborators,\u201d indicating his support for the Phoenix-style operations.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Police State<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Currently, Zelensky is promoting a bill that would\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/euobserver.com\/opinion\/152478\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">expand the SBU\u2019s powers<\/a>. The head of the SBU, Ivan Bakonov, is a close friend of his.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37040 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=590%2C765&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?w=590&amp;ssl=1 590w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=231%2C300&amp;ssl=1 231w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=150%2C194&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=300%2C389&amp;ssl=1 300w\" alt=\"Ivan Bakanov - Wikipedia\" width=\"590\" height=\"765\" data-attachment-id=\"37040\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=590%2C765&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"590,765\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ivan-bakanov-wikipedia\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=231%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/ivan-bakanov-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=590%2C765&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Ivan Bakonov [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ivan_Bakanov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wikipedia.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The director of SBU\u2019s counterintelligence, Oleksandr Poklad, is nicknamed \u201cThe Strangler.\u201d He has a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/strana.news\/news\/364724-aleksandr-poklad-hlava-dkr-sbu-chto-o-nem-izvestno.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">reputation<\/a>\u00a0for using torture and assorted dirty tricks to set up his bosses\u2019 political rivals on treason charges.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37041 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=696%2C365&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=768%2C403&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=150%2C79&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=696%2C365&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?resize=1068%2C561&amp;ssl=1 1068w\" alt=\"Poklad became the new head of Ukraine's counterintelligence - Global Happenings\" width=\"696\" height=\"365\" data-attachment-id=\"37041\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?fit=1200%2C630&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,630\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?fit=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/poklad-became-the-new-head-of-ukraines-counterint.jpeg?fit=696%2C366&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Oleksandr Poklad aka The Strangler. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/globalhappenings.com\/opinion\/53314.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">globalhappenings.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a March 19 executive order, Zelensky invoked martial law to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.president.gov.ua\/documents\/1532022-41765\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ban 11 opposition parties<\/a>. The outlawed parties consisted of the entire left-wing, socialist or anti-NATO spectrum in Ukraine. They included the For Life Party, the Left Opposition, the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, the Party of Shariy, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc and the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc.<\/p>\n<p>Openly fascist and pro-Nazi parties like the Azov National Corps were left untouched.<\/p>\n<p>On April 12, Zelensky announced the arrest of his principal political rival, Viktor Medvedchuk, by the SBU. In a photo released to the public, Medvedchuk\u2019s face appeared to be swollen and bruised, the likely result of beatings by SBU goons.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37042 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?resize=696%2C928&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?w=744&amp;ssl=1 744w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?resize=696%2C928&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"Image\" width=\"696\" height=\"928\" data-attachment-id=\"37042\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/image-73\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?fit=744%2C992&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"744,992\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-3.jpeg?fit=696%2C928&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>[Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thegrayzone.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Inmates considered SBU-run prisons to be \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/volodymyr-zelensky-secret-police-hunted-down-opposition-anatoly-shariy\/280200\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">like a small Guantanamo.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0Beatings took place at all hours of the night amidst the backdrop of Ukrainian nationalist music.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Phoenix Redux<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Douglas Valentine, author of the seminal book\u00a0<em>The Phoenix Program\u00a0<\/em>(1990), sees eerie parallels between the original Phoenix program and Zelensky\u2019s operations today. In both cases, Valentine told CAM in an exclusive interview,\u00a0<em>\u201c<\/em>neutralism wasn\u2019t tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37043 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=696%2C381&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?w=1430&amp;ssl=1 1430w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=1024%2C561&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=768%2C421&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=150%2C82&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=696%2C382&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?resize=1068%2C586&amp;ssl=1 1068w\" alt=\"Airey Bros. Radio \/ Episode 98 \/ Douglas Valentine - My Met Media\" width=\"696\" height=\"381\" data-attachment-id=\"37043\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?fit=1430%2C784&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1430,784\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?fit=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine.jpeg?fit=696%2C381&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>[Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymetmedia.com\/airey-bros-radio-episode-98-douglas-valentine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mymetmedia.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Valentine recounted how legendary CIA officer Lucien Conein had told him that Phoenix was, \u201ca very good blackmail scheme for the central government. \u2018If you don\u2019t do what I want, you\u2019re VC [Vietcong].\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37044 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?resize=500%2C660&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?resize=227%2C300&amp;ssl=1 227w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?resize=150%2C198&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?resize=300%2C396&amp;ssl=1 300w\" alt=\"New Light in a Dark Corner: Evidence on the Diem Coup in South Vietnam, November 1963 | National Security Archive\" width=\"500\" height=\"660\" data-attachment-id=\"37044\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?fit=500%2C660&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"500,660\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?fit=227%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/new-light-in-a-dark-corner-evidence-on-the-diem-c.jpeg?fit=500%2C660&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Lucien Conein [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nsarchive.gwu.edu\/briefing-book\/vietnam\/2020-11-01\/new-light-dark-corner-evidence-diem-coup-november-1963\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">nsarchive.gwu.edu<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is similar to Ukraine today\u2014exemplified by the killing of government negotiators who advocate for peace with Russia, or mayors adopting a compromising or neutralist line.<\/p>\n<p>Valentine noted that under Phoenix, or Phung Hoang as it was called by the CIA\u2019s South Vietnamese counterparts, due process was totally non-existent. South Vietnamese civilians whose names appeared on blacklists could be kidnapped, tortured and murdered simply on the word of an anonymous informer\u2014which is again happening in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Tellingly, after Volodymyr Struk\u2019s death, Anton Gerashchenko claimed that Struk had been judged by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201ccourt of the people\u2019s tribunal\u201d<\/a>\u00a0rather than any formal legal state court structure.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37045 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?resize=487%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?w=487&amp;ssl=1 487w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?resize=143%2C300&amp;ssl=1 143w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?resize=150%2C315&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?resize=300%2C631&amp;ssl=1 300w\" alt=\"Text Description automatically generated\" width=\"487\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"37045\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/text-description-automatically-generated-42\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?fit=487%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"487,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"text-description-automatically-generated\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?fit=143%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/text-description-automatically-generated.png?fit=487%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Struk: killed after a \u201cpeople\u2019s trial,\u201d Phoenix-style. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thegrayzone.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>\u2018Rampage Against Any and All Iterations of Internal Political Opposition\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>The Grayzone Project<\/em>\u00a0reported that, since Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 24,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cUkraine\u2019s SBU security service had been on a rampage against any and all iterations of internal political opposition,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0which indeed sounds a lot like Phioenix.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cLeftist Ukrainian activists have faced particularly harsh treatment, including kidnapping and torture.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>On March 3 in the city of Dnipro, SBU officers accompanied by Azov ultra-nationalists raided the homes of activists with the Livizja (Left) organization, which has organized against social spending cuts and right-wing media propaganda.<\/p>\n<p>While one activist said the Azov member\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201ccut my hair off with a knife,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0the state security agents proceeded to torture her husband, Alexander Matjuschenko, pressing a gun barrel to his head and forcing him to repeatedly belt out the nationalist salute,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cSlava Ukraini!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen they put bags over our heads, tied our hands with tape and took us to the SBU building in a car.\u00a0There they continued to interrogate us and threatened to cut off our ears,\u201d Matjuschenko\u2019s wife\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jungewelt.de\/artikel\/423834.krieg-in-der-ukraine-stundenlange-pr%C3%BCgel-und-dem%C3%BCtigung.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">told the German publication\u00a0<em>Junge Welt<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Azov members and SBU agents recorded the torture session and published images of Matjuschenko\u2019s bloodied face online.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37046 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?resize=696%2C729&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?w=764&amp;ssl=1 764w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?resize=287%2C300&amp;ssl=1 287w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?resize=150%2C157&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?resize=300%2C314&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?resize=696%2C729&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"A picture containing person Description automatically generated\" width=\"696\" height=\"729\" data-attachment-id=\"37046\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic-17\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?fit=764%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"764,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?fit=287%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-person-description-automatic.jpeg?fit=696%2C729&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>The torture of left-wing activist Alexander Matjuschenko on March 3 in Dnipro, recorded by Azov members and posted on Telegram by the city of Dnipro. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thegrayzone.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Matjuschenko was jailed on the grounds that he was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cconducting an aggressive war or military operation,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and now faces 10 to 15 years in prison. Despite enduring several broken ribs from the beating by state-backed ultra-nationalists, he has been denied bail. Meanwhile, dozens of other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/maysuryan-livejournal-com.translate.goog\/1655547.html?_x_tr_sl=ru&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en&amp;_x_tr_pto=sc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">leftists have been jailed<\/a>\u00a0on similar charges in Dnipro.<\/p>\n<p>Among those targeted by the SBU were\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich<\/a>, members of the outlawed Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine. Both were\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/peoplesdispatch.org\/2022\/03\/07\/ukrainian-security-services-arrest-young-communist-leaders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">arrested and jailed<\/a>\u00a0on March 6 and accused of \u201cspreading pro-Russian and pro-Belarusian views.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37047 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?resize=511%2C287&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 511px) 100vw, 511px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?w=511&amp;ssl=1 511w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?resize=150%2C84&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"Two men taking a selfie Description automatically generated\" width=\"511\" height=\"287\" data-attachment-id=\"37047\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?fit=511%2C287&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"511,287\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/two-men-taking-a-selfie-description-automatically.jpeg?fit=511%2C287&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich<\/a>\u00a0[Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/freedom-to-mikhail-and-alexander-kononovich\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">change.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the following days, the SBU arrested broadcast journalist Yan Taksyur and charged him with treason; human rights activist Elena Berezhnaya; Elena Viacheslavovna, a human rights advocate whose father, Mikhail, was burned to death during the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vy-YrTdt7RE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">May 2, 2014 ultra-nationalist mob attack<\/a>\u00a0on anti-Maidan protesters outside the Odessa House of Trade Unions;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pressenza.com\/2022\/03\/witchhunt-in-ukraine-against-journalists-activists-and-left-wing-politicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">independent journalist Yuri Tkachev, who was charged with treason<\/a>; disabled rights activist Oleg Novikov, who was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tass.com\/russia\/810083?utm_source=google.com&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=google.com&amp;utm_referrer=google.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jailed for three years<\/a>\u00a0this April on the grounds that he supported \u201cseparatism\u201d; and an untold number of others.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37048 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?resize=696%2C696&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?w=820&amp;ssl=1 820w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?resize=696%2C696&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"FB\" width=\"696\" height=\"696\" data-attachment-id=\"37048\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/fb\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?fit=820%2C820&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"820,820\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"fb\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fb.jpeg?fit=696%2C696&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Yuri Tkachev [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pressenza.com\/2022\/03\/witchhunt-in-ukraine-against-journalists-activists-and-left-wing-politicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pressenza.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37049 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?resize=425%2C648&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?w=425&amp;ssl=1 425w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?resize=197%2C300&amp;ssl=1 197w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?resize=150%2C229&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?resize=300%2C457&amp;ssl=1 300w\" alt=\"Image\" width=\"425\" height=\"648\" data-attachment-id=\"37049\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/image-74\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?fit=425%2C648&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"425,648\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?fit=197%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-4.jpeg?fit=425%2C648&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Oleg Novikov under arrest. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thegrayzone.com\/2022\/04\/17\/traitor-zelensky-assassination-kidnapping-arrest-political-opposition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thegrayzone.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>These cases are all reminiscent of the Phoenix program in Vietnam, where Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) goon squads trained by the CIA targeted human rights and other political activists, journalists and opponents of the Thieu-Ky clique that Washington had propped up in South Vietnam.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37137 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=696%2C469&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=1024%2C690&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=300%2C202&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=768%2C518&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=1536%2C1035&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=150%2C101&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=696%2C469&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=1068%2C720&amp;ssl=1 1068w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?resize=1920%2C1294&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?w=1392&amp;ssl=1 1392w\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"469\" data-attachment-id=\"37137\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/04fear2web-superjumbo-jpg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?fit=2048%2C1380&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1380\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?fit=300%2C202&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/04fear2web-superJumbo.jpg.webp?fit=696%2C469&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Nguyen Van Thieu, left, and Nguyen Cao Ky, center. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/03\/03\/opinion\/the-feud-that-sank-saigon.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">nytimes.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the Ukraine case, Zelensky may have gone one step further: There are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/volodymyr-zelensky-secret-police-hunted-down-opposition-anatoly-shariy\/280200\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">reports that SBU agents have tried to kidnap and kill dissidents abroad, including opposition figure Anatoly Shariy<\/a>, a critic of Zelensky and his predecessor Petro Poroshenko and 2014 Maidan coup who was branded by the Lithuanian media as a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/volodymyr-zelensky-secret-police-hunted-down-opposition-anatoly-shariy\/280200\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cfavorite friend of Putin.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37140 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?resize=696%2C435&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?w=880&amp;ssl=1 880w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?resize=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?resize=150%2C94&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?resize=696%2C435&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"435\" data-attachment-id=\"37140\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/anatolij-sarij-78206559\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?fit=880%2C550&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"880,550\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"anatolij-sarij-78206559\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?fit=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/anatolij-sarij-78206559.jpg?fit=696%2C435&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Anatoly Shariy [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.delfi.lt\/en\/politics\/lithuania-strips-ukrainian-blogger-shariy-of-political-asylum.d?id=87367657\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">delfi.it<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>Fascist Lineage<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to the World Socialist website, the SBU\u2014a successor of the Stalinist secret service KGB in Ukraine\u2014has\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsws.org\/en\/articles\/2022\/03\/09\/d51d-m09.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">long-standing ties to the Ukrainian far right<\/a>, including the neo-fascist\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsws.org\/en\/articles\/2022\/01\/22\/ukra-j22.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Azov Battalion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It has been heavily involved in efforts by the Ukrainian state to rehabilitate the Nazi collaborationist organizations, the Ukrainian Insurgency Army (UPA), and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), which was headed during World War II by fascist Stepan Bandera.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37052 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?resize=600%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?resize=150%2C107&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?resize=100%2C70&amp;ssl=1 100w\" alt=\"Image -- Members of the Organization for the Rebirth of Ukraine (1930s).\" width=\"600\" height=\"427\" data-attachment-id=\"37052\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?fit=600%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"600,427\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?fit=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image-members-of-the-organization-for-the-rebir.jpeg?fit=600%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>An offshoot of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists pose for a photo with American supporters in the early 1930s. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.encyclopediaofukraine.com\/picturedisplay.asp?linkpath=pic%5CO%5CR%5COrganization%20for%20the%20Rebirth%20of%20Ukraine%20photo.jpg&amp;page=pages%5CO%5CR%5COrganizationfortheRebirthofUkraine.htm&amp;id=10454&amp;pid=11214&amp;tyt=Organization%20for%20the%20Rebirth%20of%20Ukraine&amp;key=Organization+for+the+Rebirth+of+Ukraine%2C+%D0%9E%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%96%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%86%D1%96%D1%8F+%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE+%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8F+%D0%A3%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%97%D0%BD%D0%B8%3B+Orhanizatsiia+derzhavnoho+vidrodzhennia+Ukrainy%2C+or+%D0%9E%D0%94%D0%92%D0%A3%3B+ODVU%3B+acronym+also+commonly+given+in+English+as+ODWU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">encyclopediaofukraine.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the first head of the SBU after the Euromaidan regime-change operation of 2013-2014, declared in 2015 that the SBU \u201cdoes not need to invent anything new, it is important to build on the traditions of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and UPA in the 1930\u20131950 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During World War II,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsws.org\/en\/articles\/2014\/06\/09\/fasc-j09.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ukrainian fascists of the OUN-B<\/a>\u00a0were involved in the massacres of tens of thousands of Jews and Poles, as well as of Ukrainian opponents of fascism. After the war and well into the 1950s, both the OUN-B and UPA were engaged in an insurgency against Soviet rule, with backing from the CIA, during which the UPA\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsws.org\/en\/articles\/2022\/03\/09\/d51d-m09.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">killed another 20,000 Ukrainian civilians<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>CIA Pacification<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Not surprising perhaps given his historical outlook, Nalyvaichenko nurtured close ties to Washington when he served as general consul to the Ukrainian Embassy in the U.S. during the George W. Bush administration. During that time, Nalyvaichenko was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.topwar.ru\/43842-glava-sbu-nalivaychenko-okazalsya-agentom-cru.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">recruited by the CIA<\/a>, according to his predecessor at the SBU, Alexander Yakimenko, who served under the Russian-oriented government of deposed President Viktor Yanukovych.<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-3\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-2 is-cropped\">\n<ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\" data-carousel-extra=\"{&quot;blog_id&quot;:1,&quot;permalink&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/covertactionmagazine.com\\\/2022\\\/04\\\/25\\\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\\\/&quot;}\">\n<li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37053 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=696%2C667&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?w=715&amp;ssl=1 715w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=300%2C287&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=150%2C144&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=696%2C667&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"Valentyn Nalyvaichenko - Wikipedia\" width=\"696\" height=\"667\" data-attachment-id=\"37053\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=715%2C685&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"715,685\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=300%2C287&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/valentyn-nalyvaichenko-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=696%2C667&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"37053\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Valentyn Nalyvaichenko [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"\/\/\/Users\/jeremykuzmarov\/Library\/Containers\/com.microsoft.Word\/Data\/Library\/Preferences\/AutoRecovery\/Valentyn%20Nalyvaichenko\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wikipedia.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37054 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=640%2C486&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=300%2C228&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?resize=150%2C114&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"Oleksandr Yakymenko (politician) - Wikipedia\" width=\"640\" height=\"486\" data-attachment-id=\"37054\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=640%2C486&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,486\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=300%2C228&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/oleksandr-yakymenko-politician-wikipedia.jpeg?fit=640%2C486&amp;ssl=1\" data-id=\"37054\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Alexander Yakimenko [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oleksandr_Yakymenko_(politician)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wikipedia.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Douglas Valentine believes that the CIA \u201cis applying the same organizational structure in Ukraine as it used in South Vietnam to conduct an updated version of the typical \u2018two tier\u2019 Phoenix program. The top tier is to assure political control, the\u00a0lower tier to pacify the population.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37055 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=150%2C100&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" alt=\"Building SBU stock image. Image of portico, cityscape - 31837849\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" data-attachment-id=\"37055\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/building-sbu-stock-image-image-of-portico-citysc.jpeg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>SBU Headquarters in Kyiv. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/royalty-free-stock-images-building-sbu-security-service-ukraine-kiev-ukraine-image31837849\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dreamstime.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Valentine continued:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cOrganizationally, Phoenix coordinates CIA foreign intelligence and covert action officers and operations from the highest national level through the provinces down to the most remote territorial outposts.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign intelligence officers advise SBU security service to assure\u00a0\u2018top tier\u2019 internal security and political control; and Ukrainian CIA\u00a0agents run ops into Donbas, Russia and Belarus, sending illegal travelers, smugglers, and agents to set up agent nets and penetrate the enemy in his territory, [and carry out] sabotage and subversion. SBU and Ukrainian CIA are where hit-lists get authored. CIA officers advise military, militias and mercenaries in deniable political, paramilitary and psychological operations to terrorize and otherwise persuade civilian population to support Zelensky while demoralizing and fighting the enemy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37056 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?resize=642%2C336&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?w=642&amp;ssl=1 642w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?resize=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?resize=150%2C79&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"A picture containing text Description automatically generated\" width=\"642\" height=\"336\" data-attachment-id=\"37056\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-46\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?fit=642%2C336&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"642,336\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?fit=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/a-picture-containing-text-description-automatical-4.jpeg?fit=642%2C336&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>SBU emblem and military intelligence officer with SBU emblem on uniform. [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/informnapalm.org\/en\/ukrainian-counterintelligence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">informnapalm.org<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As in Vietnam, some of the CIA agents may be operating under the cover of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/academicworks.cuny.edu\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=4136&amp;context=gc_etds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">State Department-run police training programs which were instituted in Ukraine after the 2014 Maidan coup<\/a>.<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-4\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0Others were known to have been assigned to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/exclusive-secret-cia-training-program-in-ukraine-helped-kyiv-prepare-for-russian-invasion-090052743.html?guccounter=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">specialized paramilitary units fighting in eastern Ukraine<\/a>.<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-5\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37057 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=696%2C391&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=150%2C84&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?resize=1068%2C601&amp;ssl=1 1068w\" alt=\"CIA secretly trained Ukrainian forces | Fox News Video\" width=\"696\" height=\"391\" data-attachment-id=\"37057\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?fit=1280%2C720&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cia-secretly-trained-ukrainian-forces-or-fox-news-v.jpeg?fit=696%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>[Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/video.foxnews.com\/v\/6301032873001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">video.foxnews.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>Phoenix Always Rising from the Ashes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to Valentine, the disaster now unfolding in Ukraine has long been in the works. Starting in 1991 with the fall of the USSR, the CIA began buying property and setting up organizations and businesses in Ukraine so it would have fronts and safe houses.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAll these things serve as places where CIA officers can meet and plot and engage in unilateral recruitments to put politicians and civil servants and businessmen in place who can assure that the CIA can reorganize the economy and the government and put a Defense Minister and Minister of the Interior in place who is on their payroll, who will then appoint police chiefs who will be on the CIA payroll\u2014for the purpose of furthering U.S. policy, not Ukraine policy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37058 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?resize=696%2C284&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?w=980&amp;ssl=1 980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?resize=300%2C122&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?resize=768%2C313&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?resize=150%2C61&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?resize=696%2C284&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"2022 - Zelensky echoes CIA fears of Russian nuclear risk\" width=\"696\" height=\"284\" data-attachment-id=\"37058\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?fit=980%2C400&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"980,400\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?fit=300%2C122&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2022-zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclea.jpeg?fit=696%2C284&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>[Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gettotext.com\/zelensky-echoes-cia-fears-of-russian-nuclear-risk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">gettotext.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The ultimate goal since 1991 was to start a war in the Ukraine against Russia, which weakens Russia but also forces Ukrainians to flee the war zones. As soon as that happens, the prices go down and who is going to go swooping in there to buy it up?<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Valentine says,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cthe CIA is building a compatible civil base through unilateral recruitments. Also, U.S. universities and unions send advisers to help create schools and indoctrinate youth and workers.<\/p>\n<p>Business advisers create a Rotary Club and a Chamber of Commerce. They create a foreign relations council. This is how the CIA rules a foreign society: through the ownership of property and having the proper people in government security and defense industries and control of the civic institutions.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>According to Valentine,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cthe CIA is working with bankers. They want Ukrainians putting their money in a Morgan Stanley brokerage firm in Kyiv. They want to suck the life out of Ukrainians. People do it on the promise of a brighter future\u2014others are bribed, still others like Zelensky in my humble opinion are blackmailed.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37059 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?resize=696%2C406&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?w=760&amp;ssl=1 760w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?resize=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?resize=150%2C87&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?resize=696%2C406&amp;ssl=1 696w\" alt=\"Zelensky has refused US offer to help leave Kyiv? - The Week\" width=\"696\" height=\"406\" data-attachment-id=\"37059\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?fit=760%2C443&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"760,443\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?fit=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.jpeg?fit=696%2C406&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Volodymyr Zelensky\u2014was he bribed? [Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theweek.in\/news\/world\/2022\/02\/26\/zelensky-has-refused-us-offer-to-help-leave-kyiv.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">theweek.in<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhatever, the CIA is manipulating them toward U.S. policies. CIA officers are recruiting people and putting them in place, having them sign contracts.<\/p>\n<p>It would be like the Russians coming here to the United States and recruiting people and our police forces and our government institutions. It\u2019s illegal. You can\u2019t do it. You can\u2019t take money from a foreign intelligence agency and work against your own government, but that is what the CIA is doing in the Ukraine right now on a massive scale.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Valentine further notes:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThey\u2019re always finding a reason to start a war, so they can send the next generation of young men into battle, to learn how to kill people in the most brutal fashion\u2014that\u2019s Phoenix, always rising from the ashes of war. The U.S. has an imperative to be as super-aggressive as it can be, so it doesn\u2019t lose its edge. If its predatory impulse to dominate was stilted in Vietnam, that doesn\u2019t mean the soldiers and spies aren\u2019t going to pop up someplace else. They\u2019re always going to pop up someplace else. They always do. Like in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>Where Is the Congressional Oversight?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Valentine pointed out that, at the conclusion of the congressional hearings into the original Phoenix program in 1971, Representatives Pete McCloskey (R-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Ben Rosenthal (D-NY), and Bella Abzug (D-NY) stated their belief that<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cthe people of these United States \u2026 have deliberately imposed on the Vietnamese people a system of justice which admittedly denies due process of law\u2026. In so doing, we appear to have violated the 1949 Geneva Convention for the protection of civilian peoples\u201d in time of war.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of us who have visited Vietnam,\u201d they further said, \u201cshare a real fear that the Phoenix program is an instrument of terror\u2026 and that U.S. civilian and military personnel have participated for over three years in the deliberate denial of due process of law to thousands of people held in secret interrogation centers built with U.S. dollars.\u201d They added that \u201cCongress owes a duty to act swiftly and decisively to see that the practices involved are terminated forthwith.\u201d<sup><a id=\"post-37026-footnote-ref-6\" href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">[6]<\/a><\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Now where is the congressional oversight of the CIA\u2019s abuses in Ukraine? And mainstream media scrutiny, which would generate the kind of public outrage necessary for instituting congressional hearings?<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-19341 td-animation-stack-type0-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?resize=20%2C20&amp;ssl=1\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 20px) 100vw, 20px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?resize=298%2C300&amp;ssl=1 298w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?resize=150%2C151&amp;ssl=1 150w\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" data-attachment-id=\"19341\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/?attachment_id=19341\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?fit=300%2C302&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,302\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?fit=298%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/covertactionmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/CAM-logo-circular-20210506b-300.png?fit=300%2C302&amp;ssl=1\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-1\">Douglas Valentine,\u00a0<em>The Phoenix Program<\/em>\u00a0(Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2000), 13.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-2\">Buzina advocated for unity among Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and campaigned to outlaw neo-Nazi organizing.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-3\"><em>Mintpress\u00a0<\/em>reported that the CIA has\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mintpressnews.com\/volodymyr-zelensky-secret-police-hunted-down-opposition-anatoly-shariy\/280200\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">an entire floor in the SBU headquarters in Kyiv<\/a>.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-4\">For the historical pattern, see Jeremy Kuzmarov,\u00a0<em>Modernizing Repression: Police Training and Nation Building in the American Century<\/em>\u00a0(Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2012).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-5\">CIA agents trained their Ukrainian counterparts, according to a\u00a0<em><a href=\"\/\/\/Users\/jeremykuzmarov\/Downloads\/CIA%20agents%20have%20also%20worked%20with%20specialized%20paramilitary%20units%20fighting%20in%20Eastern%20Ukraine,%20training%20them%20in%20sniper%20techniques%20and%20operation%20of%20Javelin%20anti-tank%20missiles,%20among%20other%20skills.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Yahoo News<\/a><\/em><a href=\"\/\/\/Users\/jeremykuzmarov\/Downloads\/CIA%20agents%20have%20also%20worked%20with%20specialized%20paramilitary%20units%20fighting%20in%20Eastern%20Ukraine,%20training%20them%20in%20sniper%20techniques%20and%20operation%20of%20Javelin%20anti-tank%20missiles,%20among%20other%20skills.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u00a0expos\u00e9<\/a>, in sniper techniques and use of Javelin anti-tank missiles.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"post-37026-footnote-6\">Valentine,\u00a0<em>The Phoenix Program<\/em>, 235.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/#post-37026-footnote-ref-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u2191<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/\">https:\/\/covertactionmagazine.com\/2022\/04\/25\/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=113729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=113729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=113729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=113729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}