A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was shot at in an attempted assassination that left his car’s driver wounded, Ukrainian police have said.

More than 10 bullets hit the vehicle during the attack at 10 am local time on Wednesday. The drama unfolded near Lisniki, on the outskirts of Kiev.

Russia has denied having a role in the attack.

Screenwriter Serhiy Shefir — the first assistant to Zelenskyy — was in the car at the time, the president’s press secretary Serhiy Nikiforov confirmed to Euronews.

Shefir’s driver was wounded and is in hospital, said Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova. Her office has opened a probe into attempted murder.

Police, meanwhile, say they are still searching for the attackers.

According to Euronews; Zelenskyy is currently in New York where he is set to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

“Serhiy is alive, the driver, unfortunately, is wounded,” Zelenskyy said in a video update on Telegram. “Now he is in the hospital, law enforcement officers are working on the spot and an interception plan has been introduced.

“It is believed that this was an attempted murder. Immediately after speaking at the UN General Assembly, I am heading to the capital.

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“What are these forces? They can be internal or external. But I don’t consider them forces, because it’s weak to send me a ‘hello’ by shooting from the forest at my friend’s car. But the answer will be strong.”

“The alarming news about the shelling of Serhiy Shefir’s car caught the president during a working visit to the United States,” said Zelenskyy’s press secretary Serhiy Nikiforov.

“Despite the night, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was promptly informed about the incident and continues to provide all necessary information.”