Chechen 'kill squads' squads known as 'hunters' prepare to find and kill Ukrainian officials

Squads of assassins have been given a deck of cards with individual Ukrainian officials' photos and descriptions on them, to assist in identifying their targets.

A Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment has revealed the sinister development as Ukraine's president admitted he is “target number one” for the Russians.

President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) said he had been told there were Russian special forces in Kyiv who were hunting him down, while his family is “the number two goal” for Putin's hitmen.

The Chechen soldiers of the south battalion of the Federal Guard Service are reportedly in a Ukrainian forest as a they prepare to embark on their mission to detain or kill the named officials who have been described as “Nazis” on the hunted list.

Putin previously said a key aim of invading Ukraine was to 'deNazify' the country.

State TV in Chechnya reported that Ramzan Kadyrov (45) the republic's leader and a close Putin ally, had visited his forces in Ukraine.

Kadyrov yesterday met with Viktor Zolotov, director of the Federal National Guard Service and Commander-in-Chief of the Russian National Guard Forces, another close Putin ally.

Kadyrov’s men were seen performing a collective namaz, which are Islamic ritual prayers, while they waited in their forest hideout to carry out their deadly mission.

However, a defiant Zelensky (44), a former TV comedian, insisted he had remained in Kyiv as he urged his fellow citizens to stay strong.

He said he was addressing his people from the capital, where he was seen dressed in an olive green t-shirt, and appeared to be speaking from a bunker.

He also said his family, wife Oleana, a 44-year-old architect and screenwriter, and their two children: daughter Aleksandra, 17, and son Kiril, nine also remained in the country.

“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.”

President Zelensky expressed his anger at Western rulers after his country was left to face Russian troops alone and insisted he will stay until the bitter end.

“They're killing people and turning peaceful cities into military targets. It's foul and will never be forgiven," he declared

“We have been left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don't see anyone.

“Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid.

“I am urging Kyivites: be careful, follow the rules of curfew. I remain in the government quarter together with all those who are necessary for the work of the central government."

The Ukrainian capital is expected to be surrounded by Russian forces this weekend.