A Ukraine-based Nigerian pastor, Sunday Adelaja, has raised an alarm that he is on the list of people listed for elimination by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

Russia had launched its invasion on Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday following a declaration by President Putin in the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

Putin said Russia is carrying out “a special military operation” to stop the Ukrainian government from committing genocide against its own people.

He added that Ukraine is an illegitimate state whose lands historically belong to Russia.

However, Adelaja, in a video posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, disclosed that he’s one of the influential people on Putin’s hit list.

The Ukraine-based Nigerian pastor, who is the founder of the Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for all Nations, said he and his family have fled Kyiv, the capital Ukraine, to avoid being killed by the Russian forces.

The cleric said: “This is the first time I and my family have been able to have a place to put our heads in the last 48 hours. We’ve been travelling, sometimes we walk, sometimes we run, sometimes we are in a car, sometimes we are in a long queue of people who want to escape from Ukraine.

“I wanted to stay back and send my wife to get out of the country if necessary but I got an information two days ago that in a few days, the Russians will enter Kyiv.

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“From the American intelligence, we got to know that they have a list of people for elimination. These are not ordinary but influential people who have public opinion and that I am on the list.

“I know that I am on the list because I was already a persona non grata in Russia since 2005. I have been a personal enemy of Vladimir Putin for close to 20 years now. He banned me from going to Russia, so I know I would be on the list.

“Before I left, we were able to gather some Africans in my house. There is an underground bunker in my house and everybody has stayed back. I would have stayed back but when I was told that I am in the list and I was told Russians were going to enter the city, all the leaders and people in the church said I should leave.

“So I have to quickly arrange myself and go to a safe place. As I am talking, we are in a safe place. I cannot give more details on that but we are no more in that place they bombed,” Adelaja disclosed.

TheStar