Moscow, May 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin was reportedly the target of an assassination attempt linked to a Ukrainian drone strike, according to claims by a Russian military officer. The officer stated that Putin’s helicopter was in the “epicentre” of the May 20 drone attack in the Kursk region.
Yuriy Dashkin, commander of Russia’s air defence unit, told Russian news agency RBC that the drone was intercepted and destroyed before it could reach the president’s flight path. He added that between May 20 and 22, Russia faced a large-scale drone offensive from Ukraine, during which air defence forces reportedly shot down 1,170 drones.
Russian air defence commander Yuriy Dashkin stated that the intensity of the drone attack escalated significantly during President Vladimir Putin’s flight over the Kursk region. According to Dashkin, air defence forces were simultaneously engaged in repelling the drone offensive while ensuring the security of the president’s helicopter.
He claimed that Putin’s aircraft was “effectively at the epicentre” of the defensive operation launched in response to the large-scale Ukrainian drone assault. A drone was reportedly detected approaching the flight path of the presidential helicopter and was swiftly neutralised by Russian air defence units.
Dashkin further noted that during President Putin’s visit to Kursk on May 20, air defence systems responded to what he described as an “unprecedented” aerial attack, successfully downing 46 drones that day alone.
President Putin visited Kursk earlier this week, marking his first trip to the region since March.
