A top aide of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy survived an assassination attempt on Wednesday morning, according to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.

At least 10 bullets struck the car of Serhiy Shefir, a longtime friend of Zelenskiy, near the village of Lisnyky outside the capital, Kyiv, according to the ministry.

"Fortunately, the president's first aide was left unharmed. We can say that the intentions of the criminals were quite serious," Ihor Klymenko, the head of the National Police of Ukraine told reporters.

The driver of the car is wounded and admitted to the hospital.

The Interior Ministry said that a special police operation is underway to arrest the culprits behind the attack./aa