Rumors of a possible assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Budapest have raised tensions in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Former intelligence officer Andrei Bezrukov said on Russian television that British services were preparing an operation against the Kremlin leader and suggested moving a meeting with Donald Trump to Dubai to avoid risks.
“Don't go to Budapest”, said Bezrukov.
The former officer stated that “the mentality of the British elite is arranged so that if Putin leaves, the problem will disappear” and accused the London authorities of being prepared to “hit Russia” for their own interest, according to Daily Expres.
However, Andrei Bezrukov has not presented any concrete evidence to support his claims.
Asked how a possible assassination attempt could be avoided, Bezrukov suggested that the meeting be moved to the United Arab Emirates.
Presenter Vladimir Solovyov noted that the Russian president is “so brave” that he could travel to Budapest, but Bezrukov replied that “sometimes courage is not the main thing“.
“The supreme commander represents the country, and the interests of the country are more important than the courage of a single person,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not confirm Putin's trip to Hungary, but speculation has intensified following the Russian official's recent statements.
In this context, Hungary remains the only country in the European Union that has promised not to comply with any international arrest warrants for the Russian president.
