Putin’s Paranoid Panic: Ukrainian Assassination Attempts Send Russian Leader Into Crisis Mode Amid War

Ukraine's military intelligence reports multiple assassination attempts on Vladimir Putin since the war began.

Despite Putin's notorious paranoia and extreme security measures, the attempts fell short of the mark, the Daily Star reported.

Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, told NV channel: "The attempts [to kill Putin] did happen, but, as you can see, they have also been unsuccessful so far."

Budanov noted that Putin's death would be a significant psychological blow to Russians, who view him as essential to their security.

He compared this potential impact to the death of Joseph Stalin, recounting his grandmother's experience: "She said that people then felt like their whole world had collapsed, it was unclear how to live on."

With Putin in power for over 20 years, Budanov believes Russians fear losing him as he is seen as the guarantor of their stability.

Before the war in Ukraine, Putin faced assassination attempts, including one foiled by British police in 2003.

During Putin's state visit to the UK, invited by then Prime Minister Tony Blair, anti-terror police apprehended two men linked to an alleged plot to assassinate the Russian president.

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One suspect, reportedly a former Russian secret service hitman, planned to target Putin with a sniper rifle.

This visit marked the first official visit by a Russian leader to Britain in over 125 years.