Ukraine Intel Chief Claims Putin Survived an Assassination Attempt

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Ukraine’s defense intelligence chief has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin survived an assassination attempt almost two months ago.

The apparent assassination attempt would’ve been shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.

“Putin was assassinated,” Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov told Pravda Ukraine in an interview that’ll air on Tuesday. “He was even attacked in the line of, as they say, representatives of the Caucasus not so long ago. This is nonpublic information. Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really took place. … It was about two months ago.”

If true, it would have been at least six times that there has been an assassination attempt against Putin. Previously, filmmaker Oliver Stone said that Putin survived at least five assassination attempts.

In an interview for the 2017 TV series The Putin Interviews, Putin credited his security with protecting him from being assassinated.

Budanov told Sky News earlier this month that Ukraine will win the war and that Putin will no longer lead Russia.

“It will eventually lead to the change of leadership of the Russian Federation,” he said. “This process has already been launched.”

“Yes. … They are moving in this way, and it is impossible to stop it,” added Budanov when asked if there’s a coup happening inside Russia.