Russia claims US financed Ukraine’s plot to assassinate Putin

Ukrainian defense intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Saturday that Ukraine’s secret services had tried but failed to assassinate Putin.

“Yesterday one of the leaders of the Kiev regime, Budanov, admitted that Ukraine’s intelligence was plotting the assassination of the Russian president. This assassination attempt was being prepared, again, with US money, without which there would be no malicious activities of the Ukrainian intelligence, the Ukrainian armed forces and, general, Bankova Street [government in Kiev],” Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

The spokeswoman suggested that Washington should use the money it provides to Kiev to fund “the police and other agencies which were established to administer law within the US”.

Western countries have ramped up their military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin warns against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. Russian officials have also warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.