MOSCOW, Russia – Russia claimed on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, that Ukraine attempted to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in an overnight drone attack on the Kremlin.
The accusation came without providing evidence and with no immediate reaction from Kyiv, marking the latest in a series of reported incidents inside Russia and far from the war’s front lines.
In a statement published on the Kremlin’s website, Putin’s press service said that Russian military and special services disabled two attacking drones that were “aimed at the Kremlin.” The Kremlin blamed the alleged attack on Ukraine and stated that no one, including Putin, was hurt.
“We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president, carried out on the eve of Victory Day,” the statement said, referring to the May 9 celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. “The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it added.
There was no immediate reaction from Kyiv to the reports of the thwarted assassination attempt. Russia has frequently accused Ukraine of planning attacks inside the country, often met with denials from Ukraine.
The alleged incident comes 14 months into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ahead of an expected counteroffensive by Kyiv’s military.
The Kremlin said the president’s schedule was unaffected by the incident. Its website stated that Putin held a meeting with the Nizhny Novgorod region governor Gleb Nikitin Wednesday afternoon.
As tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, this latest accusation serves as a stark reminder of the potential for further conflict and volatility in the region.
With both sides maintaining their positions and accusing the other of aggression, the international community is left grappling with the complexities of the ongoing crisis.
