There have been assassination attempts on Vladimir Putin, but they have not been successful, said Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence HUR, to the Novoye Vremya portal on Saturday.
Russians fear losing President Vladimir Putin because they view him as a guarantor of stability in their lives, stated Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence HUR, in an interview with the Novoye Vremya news website on Saturday.
When questioned about known assassination attempts on Putin, Budanov confirmed, "There have been such attempts, but as you can see, they have not been successful so far."
He recalled stories from his grandmother about Stalin's death. "She said that people felt as if their entire world had collapsed and they didn't know how to continue living. Putin has been in power for over 20 years, so it will be a very similar feeling [when he dies], and now Russians fear losing him because he is the guarantor of stability in their lives," the military official observed.
The website also highlighted a recent assassination attempt on Budanov himself, which occurred in early May. "That means we are doing our job well. But if they suddenly stop being interested in me, that will be a problem," he noted.
"Many people in Russia have tried and are still trying to kill me in various ways. But, as you can see, their effectiveness is zero.”
When questioned about known assassination attempts on Putin, Budanov confirmed, "There have been such attempts, but as you can see, they have not been successful so far."
He recalled stories from his grandmother about Stalin's death. "She said that people felt as if their entire world had collapsed and they didn't know how to continue living. Putin has been in power for over 20 years, so it will be a very similar feeling [when he dies], and now Russians fear losing him because he is the guarantor of stability in their lives," the military official observed.
The website also highlighted a recent assassination attempt on Budanov himself, which occurred in early May. "That means we are doing our job well. But if they suddenly stop being interested in me, that will be a problem," he noted.
"Many people in Russia have tried and are still trying to kill me in various ways. But, as you can see, their effectiveness is zero.”
Shifts in Russia
Kyrylo Budanov, addressed the recent change in Russia's defense ministry, with Andrei Belousov replacing Sergey Shoigu.
He explained that the primary objective of this shift is to optimize military expenditures. "Belousov is seen by Russians as strongly pro-Western. He has often stated that the West is a friend of Russia and that the current conflicts in Ukraine are grave mistakes that need rectification,” Budanov noted.
“His role is to establish communication and serve as a negotiator with the West, and unfortunately, he has had some success in this."
He also spoke of the symbolic and strategic importance of the Kerch Bridge, which links the illegally annexed Crimea to Russia.
"The bridge is a symbol, far more significant than destroying even 60 railway cars loaded with military equipment. There are thousands of those, but there is only one bridge," Budanov said, adding, "The bridge must be destroyed."
He further argued that Crimea has transitioned from being an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" for Russia to an "inconvenient territory." According to Budanov, while the bridge holds little practical value, it remains "part of the empire's skeleton."
"We have fought and will continue to fight, perhaps for a long time, but the future of Ukraine will be very interesting. It cannot be otherwise," Budanov concluded.
He further argued that Crimea has transitioned from being an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" for Russia to an "inconvenient territory." According to Budanov, while the bridge holds little practical value, it remains "part of the empire's skeleton."
"We have fought and will continue to fight, perhaps for a long time, but the future of Ukraine will be very interesting. It cannot be otherwise," Budanov concluded.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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