Media outlets in the UK are reporting Russian President Vladimir Putin may have been the target of an assassination attempt..According to sources, Putin's limousine was allegedly hit by a "loud bang" on its left front wheel, followed by heavy smoke..Putin was unharmed as his car drove to safety but there have been multiple arrests from his security service, according to The Mirror..It comes amid claims Russian officials are calling for Putin to resign after the nation suffers "significant" setbacks amid a Ukrainian counterattack..Ukrainian troops have retaken a large area of territory — forcing troops from Moscow to make a hasty retreat..Three bodyguards have since "vanished" amid claims that secret information about the 69-year-old ruler’s movements may have been compromised, according to the General SVR Telegram channel.. Putin's imoPutin's Russian-made Kortezh limousine .While some are skeptical of General SVR, others say it's one of the few prominent anti-Putin channels in Russia that provides an insight into the true goings-on at the Kremlin..According to the anti-Kremlin channel, Putin was travelling back to his official residence on an unspecified date in a decoy or “backup” motorcade amid deep security fears..This comprised five armoured cars, with Putin in the third, according to the claim..“On the way to the residence, a few kilometres away, the first escort car was blocked by an ambulance, [and] the second escort car drove around without stopping [due to the] sudden obstacle, and during the detour of the obstacle..In Putin’s car “a loud bang sounded from the left front wheel followed by heavy smoke.”.Putin’s car “despite the problems with control” made its way out of the attack scene to reach the safety of the residence..It is impossible to verify the claims.. Putin's limo exteriorPutin's limo exterior .“Subsequently, the body of a man was found driving [the] ambulance, which blocked the first car from the motorcade,” said SVR General..“The head of the president's bodyguard [service] and several other people have been suspended and are in custody,” claimed the channel, without naming anyone..“A narrow circle of people knew about the movement of the president in this cortege, and all of them were from the presidential security service.".“After the incident, three of them disappeared. These were exactly the people who were in the first car of the motorcade..“Their fate is currently unknown. The car on which they were traveling was found empty a few kilometres from the incident.”.It is not immediately possible to verify the claim..According to media reports, support for Putin's war in Ukraine is collapsing, with even his most die-hard war hawks slamming his leadership..Last month, Darya Dugina, the 29-year-old daughter of Alexander Dugin, a philosopher, writer and political theorist whom some in the West described as "Putin's brain," died when an explosive planted in her SUV exploded as she was driving.. Putin's limo interiorPutin's limo interior .It's believed someone wanted to send a message to Putin and his Kremlin cronies..While Russia's top counterintelligence agency, the FSB, blamed Ukrainian spy services for organizing the killing, intelligence agencies are still unsure who carried it out..There is also speculation it was a contract killing, ordered and financed by Russian oligarchs who want Putin out of the way..President Putin's six-ton Aurus Senat L700 armoured limousine is custom made and sports a 7.7-litre engine, six-speed automatic transmission, economical fuel consumption and some top-secret defence mechanisms..Apparently, the limo has the ability to comfortably keep the President and other occupants safe when fully submerged in water..Dubbed a “Bunker On Wheels” by some Western media, the car is covered in armour plating and runs on Kevlar tires to keep it going when shot..The £142-million monster limo also features an armour coated fuel tank to prevent it exploding in case of a rocket attack. It comes with a communication system that lets the President call anyone from anywhere in the world.. Putin's limo overviewPutin's limo overview
