Putin survived assassination attempt, Ukrainian official says
Sydney Kalich and Joe Khalil
(NewsNation) — A top Ukrainian official claimed this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin survived an assassination attempt two months ago.
The head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, told a Ukrainian news outlet that the attempt against Putin’s life was at the start of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“There was an attempt to assassinate Putin. He was even attacked, it is said, by representatives of the Caucasus, not so long ago. This is non-public information,” Budanov told Ukrainian newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda. “[It was an] Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really happened … It was about 2 months ago.”
“I repeat, this attempt was unsuccessful,” Budanov added in remarks translated to English. “There was no publicity about this event, but it took place.”
The claims have not been confirmed by NATO or American intelligence. Budanov has made similar comments about other plots against Putin in the past. He has not provided any evidence for the claims.
Now, if true, this would not be the first time that Putin has faced this kind of attempt. We know that there have been at least two high-profile attempts on the Kremlin leader’s life, one back in 2008, another back in 2012. There could have been others as well. Senate Intelligence officials sources have described Putin in recent months as being increasingly isolated, that he surrounds himself with a very small group of just advisors and security personnel.
The news of the attempted assassination attempt comes as the conflict between the two countries marked its third month Tuesday. Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield.
FILE – A Russian armored personnel carrier burns amid damaged and abandoned light utility vehicles after fighting in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city in Ukraine, Feb. 27, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Marienko Andrew, File)
FILE – Cars pass by destroyed Russian tanks in a recent battle against Ukrainians in the village of Dmytrivka, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, May 23, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE – Firefighters work to extinguish a fire on a warehouse amid Russian bombardments in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 23, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
FILE – Damage is seen on apartment buildings after shelling from fighting on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, in territory under control of the separatist government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, March 29, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
FILE – Galyna Bondar, mourns next to the grave of her son Oleksandr, 32, after burying him at the cemetery in Bucha, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 16, 2022. Oleksandr, who joined the territorial Ukrainian defence as a co-ordinator was killed by a gunshot by the Russian Army. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
FILE – Damaged and burned vehicles are seen at a destroyed part of the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant, as smoke rises from the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal during heavy fighting, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, April 18, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
FILE – A local woman embraces a serviceman of Donetsk People’s Republic militia near a damaged apartment building in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, April 26, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
FILE – Emergency services are working in the area following an explosion in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 28, 2022. Russia struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv shortly after a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday evening. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
FILE – Destroyed houses are photographed in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 30, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
FILE – The bodies of unidentified men, believed to be Russian soldiers, arranged in a Z, a symbol of the Russian invasion, lie near a village recently retaken by Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 2, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
FILE – A Ukrainian serviceman works during the exhumation of killed Russian soldiers’ at their former positions near the village of Malaya Rohan, on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 18, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko, file)
FILE – Vehicles are on fire at an oil depot after missiles struck the facility in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Makiivka, 15 km (94 miles) east of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, May 4, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight.(AP Photo, File)
FILE – Smoke rises from the Metallurgical Combine Azovstal in Mariupol during shelling, in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine, May 7, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
FILE – Maksym, 3, is photographed with his brother, Dmytro, 16, on top of a destroyed Russian tank, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, May 8, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
FILE – Relatives of servicemen who died during the Russian Special military operation in Donbas pose for a photo holding portraits of Russian soldiers killed during a fighting in Ukraine after attending the Immortal Regiment march through a street marking the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Sevastopol, Crimea, May 9, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo, File)
FILE – Relatives react next to the body of Oleksandr Pankratov, 49, a Ukrainian military serviceman who was killed in Donetsk province, during his funeral in Lviv, Ukraine, May 14, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, file)
FILE – The remains of a destroyed Russian helicopter lie in a field in the village of Malaya Rohan, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, May 16, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
FILE – Ukrainian servicemen sit in a bus after they were evacuated from the besieged Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant, near a remand prison in Olyonivka, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine, May 17, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov, File)
FILE – In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday, May 21, 2022, Ukrainian servicemen line up to be checked as they leave the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)
FILE – A Russian soldier walks inside the Ukraine’s Azov Regiment base adorned with the unit’s emblems in Yuriivka resort settlement on the coast of Azov Sea not far from Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine, May 18, 2022. The Azov Regiment, is part of Ukraine’s National Guard. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo, File)
FILE – Russian troops walk in a destroyed part of the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People’s Republic, eastern Ukraine, May 18, 2022. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. (AP Photo, File)
FILE – A Russian soldier guards an area at the Alley of Glory exploits of the heroes – natives of the Kherson region, who took part in the liberation of the region from the Nazi invaders in Kherson, Kherson region, south Ukraine, May 20, 2022, with a replica of the Victory banner marking the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II right in the background. The Kherson region has been under control of the Russian forces since the early days of the Russian military action in Ukraine. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File)
