Zelenskyy's Office Believes Shefir Was Chosen As Target Due To Being Key Team Member

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2021) Ukrainian First Presidential Assistant Serhiy Shefir was chosen as an assassination attempt target because of being a close friend of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a key member of the team, this was supposed to show that the malefactors have serious intentions, an adviser to the head of the presidential office said on Wednesday.

"Shefir was chosen because he is a key member of the team and a close friend of the president. It is clear that the assassination attempt on Shefir was supposed to indicate the seriousness of the intentions ... The goal was to intimidate our team," adviser Mikhail Podolyak said at a briefing.

Shefir is feeling fine, he is currently giving testimony to the police, while his driver, who sustained a gunshot injury, remains in hospital, the adviser added.

"I believe this was indeed an attack on the president's attempts to break the system. There may be many motives, there are smugglers, criminal enclaves ... oligarchic structures that have their own security services, and political groups related to a neighboring country," Podolyak continued.

The adviser also denied claims that Shefir recently "shut himself off from" Zelenskyy.