Putin Survived Assassination Attempt Two Months Ago: Ukrainian Official

Russian President Vladimir Putin survived an assassination attempt approximately two months ago, according to a top Ukrainian military official.

Kyrylo Budanov, the Head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda that the “unsuccessful attempt” occurred shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

“There was an attempt to assassinate Putin… He was even attacked, it is said, by representatives of the Caucasus, not so long ago,” Budanov said. “This is non-public information. [It was an] Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really happened… It was about 2 months ago”

“I repeat, this attempt was unsuccessful. There was no publicity about this event, but it took place,” he added.

As noted by The Telegraph, “The Kremlin has not reported any such incidents in recent months. Mr Budanov did not provide any details and it was unclear if he was referring to Russia’s North Caucasus region where two separatist wars took place in the 1990s, or the South Caucasus which includes Georgia.”

There have also been failed assassination attempts on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to his adviser Mikhail Podolyak, Zelensky survived at least a dozen assassination attempts in the first two weeks of the invasion.

Zelensky has gone as far as to compare Russia’s repeated failed assassination attempts to the film “Groundhog Day” during an interview Monday with Axios’ Jonathan Swan.

Zelensky told Swan that anyone would be afraid when they learn about an attempt on their life the first few times, “but when it becomes repetitive, do you remember that film, ‘Groundhog Day’?” Zelensky said, “I wake up in the morning and it’s still the same.”

“When we decided to defend our country, to stand up and to stay in Ukraine … to keep our positions, hold our defense lines … we understood that that was our life from our point on,” he added. “There are many deaths, too many deaths … I am still alive and that’s why it’s me talking to you, it’s not any kind of technology being used.”