Russian secret services are reportedly investigating a potential plot to assassinate President Vladimir Putin, according to a report from the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU.
The channel, which has close links to Moscow's security agencies and law enforcement, claims to have received information from an informant about an "agent" who boasted about being given a task to "remove" the dictator.
The alleged conversation took place at a karaoke club called Honey, located in Chekhov, near Moscow, which is known to be frequented by security services operatives.
During the conversation, the supposed agent showed his service ID card to the informant, named Mikhail Yurchenko, a 37-year-old construction industry entrepreneur. Yurchenko, who became concerned about the threat to Putin, reported the incident to the police. The VChK-OGPU report states that the Russian special services have been searching for the unknown person who planned to "remove" Putin based on Yurchenko's tip.
Vladimir Putin, who turned 71 on October 7, is known for taking his security extremely seriously. He regularly changes locations and travel routes, and there have been reports suggesting that he employs a body double at official events to maintain his "man of the people" appearance while hiding in various boltholes. Russian security services have been accused of fabricating and dealing with numerous supposed terrorist plots to demonstrate their effectiveness.
In recent weeks, Putin has been more visible than he has been in several years, justifying his war against Ukraine and making attacks on the West. It is expected that he will announce next month his intention to seek a new six-year term in the Kremlin, with elections scheduled for March 2024.
During a recent event in Sochi, Putin told student participants in the International Financial Security Olympiad that he has many admirers in Europe who share his traditional values. He expressed his desire to defend these values and unite everyone around his platform. However, his defense of traditional family values has received backlash, with critics pointing out his own personal life, including his divorce, living with a mistress, and not publicly appearing with his children and grandchildren.
According to Russia's Kommersant newspaper, Putin may soon announce his intention to participate in the 2024 presidential election. This move would allow him to stay in power until 2030. However, the final decision rests with Putin himself, and there are other scenarios that he might consider. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that he had no information about a plan to announce Putin's bid in November.
Putin, who assumed the presidency in 1999, has been in power longer than any other Russian ruler since Josef Stalin. While many expect him to stay in power for life, there has been no official confirmation of his plans to run in the 2024 presidential vote. Putin has stated that he will make an announcement on his plans after parliament calls for the presidential election, which is required by law to take place in December.
Although Putin may face no competition for votes, he is currently facing significant challenges. The war in Ukraine has led to a major confrontation with the West, the most serious since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Additionally, the Russian economy has been severely impacted by the conflict. Putin also faced a failed mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's most powerful mercenary, in June. Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash two months later.
The West portrays Putin as a war criminal and dictator who has led Russia into an imperial-style conflict, weakening the country and forging Ukrainian statehood while uniting the West against Russia. However, Putin presents the war as part of a larger struggle with the United States, which the Kremlin elite believes aims to divide Russia, exploit its natural resources, and settle scores with China.
The former Soviet spies who hold power in Moscow have repeatedly warned of the risk of a conflict between Russia and NATO as the West's post-Cold War dominance diminishes.
Russia seeks to overcome the humiliations of the Soviet collapse, while China rises as a superpower. The West claims it only wants to help Ukraine defeat Russian forces and does not seek a NATO-Russia conflict. The Kremlin, however, believes that the West will never succeed in defeating Russia in Ukraine.
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