Chechen kill squads have been ordered into Ukraine to take out specific members of the country's government, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment.
The Daily Mail first reported the news.
Chechnya, Russia's predominantly Muslim region run by Ramzan Kadyrov, has shown support for the attack.
According to a local news site, Chechnya Today, Kadyrov said his troops were prepared to take part ''in any special operation,'' if needed, and urged Zelenskyy to call Putin and offer an apology.
The Chechen soldiers were given decks of cards with photographs of their targets, according to the Daily Mail.
There was speculation that those identified by Moscow as Nazis would also be on the hunted list.
Zelenskyy on Friday addressed the nation wearing a military-style green T-shirt to warn that ''enemy saboteur groups'' were marauding through Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. The Ukrainian leader also said his family remained in the country, including his wife, Olena, and their two children, Aleksandra and Kiril.
''My family is not a traitor, but a citizen of Ukraine,'' he said, adding that he would not reveal their location.
''According to our information, the enemy marked me as the number one target. My family is the number two goal. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the Head of State.''
Ukraine says Russia has bombed 33 civilian sites in Kyiv in the last 24 hours.
Russia's assault on Ukraine began Thursday.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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