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Kremlin drone attack: Russia accuse Ukraine of trying to assassinate Putin

President Vladimir Putin

Wed, 3 May 2023 Source: BBC

Russia don accuse Ukraine of trying to assassinate President Vladimir Putin by using drones to target im house for di Kremlin for central Moscow.

Di presidential office say defence gun down two drones overnight.

Putin tok tok pesin say di Russian leader bin no dey di complex at di time.

Unverified video for social media show wetin be like object wey dey over di Kremlin bifor one small explosion.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky deny say im kontri dey behind di attack.

"We no dey attack Putin or Moscow. We fight on on our territory. We dey defend our villages and cities," im tok on im visit to Finland.

Meanwhile one Ukraine presidential adviser tell BBC say dis incident wey dem dey report so, dey show say Russia fit dey "prepare large-scale terrorist provocation" for Ukraine.

Di two kontris dey frequently accuse each oda, and each side dey always deny all kain tins since di Russia invasion for February 2022.

Russia say di two drones wey bin dey target Kremlin - one large goment complex for central Moscow - dem disable dem using electronic radar assets.

One video for social media show smoke as e dey rise over di fortified complex, and for anoda one small explosion bin dey visible above di Kremlin Senate building, while two men for di dome be like dem dey dodge sometin.

For one statement, Russia presidency say: "Last night, Kyiv regime attempt to carry out strike on Kremlin residence of di President of di Russia Federation wit unmanned aerial vehicles."

E say e dey regard dis "as planned terrorist act and assassination attempt on di president", and Russia "reserve di right to do revenge attack measures wia ever and wenever dem tink e necessary".

Putin get very high personal protection and BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg say e dey surprising to tink say drones fit go anywia near di Kremlin. 

Di Russian leader no injure and im schedule go kontinu as normal, im office tok.

-Russia launch second early mor-mor missile attack inside Ukraine in three days

-Vladimir Putin fit dey arrested for war crimes

-Putin announce say Russia go suspend participation in arms control treaty

Im bin dey work for Novo Ogaryovo outside Moscow on Wednesday.

Some parts of di drone fall on Kremlin site but nobody wunjure and no damage to buildings, di presidency tok.

E also note say d incident happun shortly bifor Russia 9 May Victory Day parade, wey foreign dignitaries dey expected to attend.

-Di parade go happun as dem plan, Russian news agencies quote Kremlin.

"Wetin happun for Moscow dey obviously designed to increase di situation bifor 9 May," Ukrainian presidential tok-tok pesin Serhiy Nikiforov say.

Meanwhile Ukraine presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak say di incident fit help Russia justify attacks on civilian targets for Ukraine and fit also indicate "guerrilla activities of local resistance forces" inside Russia.

"Sometin dey happun for RF [Russian Federation], but definitely witout Ukraine drones over Kremlin," Podolyak tok.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken say no fit validate Russia accusation say Ukraine bin try to kill Putin, but say im no go take anytin Russian presidency tok wit "very large shaker of salt".

Mick Mulroy, former US deputy assistant secretary of defense and CIA officer, tell BBC say if reports of di incident dey accurate e dey "unlikely" say na assassination attempt as Ukraine dey track President Putin movements closely and im no dey Moscow at di time.

"Dis fit be to show Russia pipo say dem fit dem any wia and say di war wey dem start for Ukraine fit eventually come home to Russia, even di capital," im tok.

Alternatively, if di reports no accurate, "Russia fit dey fabricate dis to use am as excuse to target President Zelensky. Sometin wey dem bin try in di past",oga Mulroy tok.

Moscow mayor on Wednesday announce ban on unauthorised drone flights over di city. Drone flights go require special goment permit, Sergei Sobyanin tok.

Several Russian cities don already announce say dem go reduce activities for dis year Victory Day celebrations.

Russia authorities don give security reasons and attacks from pro-Ukraine forces for di changes. Explosions and fires don occur for Russia in recent weeks.

Source: BBC