Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, May 3: Today, Russia claimed that Ukraine had attempted to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. Two drones allegedly utilised in the purported attack were shot down, according to the report.
It was implied that Moscow would take advantage of the purported event to justify a further escalation in the 14-month-old war with Ukraine by saying that Russia reserved the right to retaliate.
It said that it saw the purported incident as “a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the President of the Russian Federation.” Putin remained unharmed, and the Kremlin building sustained no material damage.
“Two unmanned vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin… the devices were put out of action,” the Kremlin said in a statement. The Kremlin said that the Russian president was not on the premises when the drone strike was attempted.
Pale smoke was seen rising behind the main Kremlin Palace in the walled citadel following the alleged incident, according to an unconfirmed video that has been circulating on Russian social media sites including the channel of the military news outlet Zvezda. Another showed one of the drones being shot down by Russia directly over the dome of the presidential palace.
As soon as it was learned that drones were being used to attack Putin, the mayor of Moscow enacted a ban on unauthorised drone flights over the Russian city.
Drone flights would be restricted unless a special permit had been secured from “government authorities,” according to a statement from Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The prohibition, he continued, was put in place to stop unauthorised drone flights that would “obstruct the work of law enforcement”.
