Ukraine tried to assassinate Vladimir Putin with explosive-laden drone

LONDON: Ukrainian secret service agents tried to assassinate Vladimir Putin with a kamikaze drone laden with explosives, but their top secret mission failed after the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed a few miles short of its target, it has been claimed, according to a media report.

The Ukrainian forces reportedly launched the UJ-22 drone, laden with 17 kg of C4 plastic explosives, from Ukraine on Sunday with the aim of reaching a newly-built industrial estate near Moscow where Putin was due to visit, German newspaper Bild claimed, Daily Mail reported.

But before the deadly drone reached the Rudnevo industrial park on its apparent mission to assassinate the Russian leader, it crashed mere miles away from the site, Bild claimed while citing a tweet by Ukrainian activist Yuriy Romanenko.

Romanenko, who claims to have close ties to Kiev’s intelligence services, alleged that Ukrainian secret service agents had received “information” about Putin’s apparent trip to the industrial site and had decided to launch the deadly drone in an attempt to assassinate the Russian President, Daily Mail reported.

He claimed that the kamikaze drone that had crashed in Voroskogo village, 12 miles east of the Rudnevo industrial park, was the one that Ukrainian forces had launched as part of the assassination plot.

In a tweet cited by Bild, Romanenko said: “Putin we are getting closer. Everyone saw the news about the drone that flew to Moscow, but did not explode? So, this drone flew for a reason.

“Last week, our intelligence officers received information about Putin’s trip to the industrial park in Rudnevo. Accordingly, our kamikaze drone took off, which flew through all the air defenses of the Russian Federation and crashed not far from the industrial park.” (IANS)

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