Failed Assassination Attempt on Putin and Its Implications

If the recent attempt to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin by sending two drones to bomb his residence in the Kremlin is true, and it seems to be, it will give the green light to the Russian leadership to eliminate President Zelensky and the surrounding military and political leadership. We are talking about a great nuclear empire here, not a third-world country.

The drones reached the Kremlin, were shot down, and their debris scattered on its grounds. Fortunately for the Russian leadership, President Putin was not at the residence but was at one of his official residences in the suburbs of Moscow.

Deputy Sergey Mironov, a member of the Duma (Parliament), may be the only one (so far) who has outlined the expected Russian response. He said the assassination attempt is a pretext for a real war and the elimination of the Ukrainian leadership. He added that Zelensky and his military council have three choices: to meet the same fate as Hitler, the fate of the terrorist Jokhar Dudayev (a Chechen leader assassinated in 1996 in Qatar), or to stand trial before the International Criminal Court as war criminals.

This failed and “naïve” attempt to assassinate President Putin is not surprising. Ukrainian war media, supported by the United States, has repeatedly discussed the possibility of assassinating Putin and leaked numerous news reports about him suffering from a serious illness that could lead to his death. Misleading and fabricated reports have been read in NATO media, which were proven false, considering the major losses suffered by the US-led coalition in the Ukrainian war, such as predictions of the collapse of the Russian economy and currency, a military coup against Putin, and the migration of millions of Russians to neighboring countries.

Sending these two drones confirms the state of despair and frustration that prevails in the United States and its allies due to the resilience of the Russian president, army, and economy, and the failure of the economic blockade and sanctions. This has led to the resorting to this “naïve” option of assassination. We use the term “naïve” because Zelensky and his American supporters have become confused, and they thought Russia was a “banana republic” where the same methods used by the CIA to kill Latin American leaders and orchestrate coups against them in the 1970s and 1980s would work.

The question that arises is how these two drones reached the Kremlin and flew over it before being shot down. We do not believe that the Russian leadership will ignore this serious security and military breach and will conduct intensive investigations to answer this question, just as we do not rule out the beheading of some individuals, whether on charges of collusion or negligence.

This assassination attempt marks a dangerous phase of escalation in the Ukrainian war, both militarily and politically. It may close doors entirely to mediators and their political solutions, and pave the way for an imminent military invasion of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, or its destruction by missile bombardment. Those who know President Putin describe him as a stubborn person who will consider this attempt a personal attack and will not rest until he avenges those behind it.

Ukrainian President Zelensky will not sleep in one place after this day, after being accused of being behind this terrorist crime, as described by official Russian statements. He will remain cautious every morning, ensuring that he is still alive. With his knowledge of Russia and its security apparatus, official denial and disavowal of the attempt will not change the Russian response in the appropriate time and place, nor will they change the three options presented to Zelensky, as put forth by Deputy Mironov. Only time will tell.

Abdel Bari Atwan