Moscow, March 15
A Russian newspaper said today security forces foiled an attempt by a sniper to kill President Vladimir Putin near the Kremlin this month. Itar-Tass news agency cited a security source denying the report. The Kremlin declined to comment on the report by popular Moscow tabloid Tvoi Den, which is known for its strong sources in law enforcement circles.
Tvoi Den quoted an unnamed source as saying a sniper was arrested shortly before Putin walked through the gates of the Kremlin on election night, March 2, to appear at a concert held next to the Red Square.
The concert was held to celebrate Putin’s protege Dmitry Medvedev’s victory in a presidential election and although the two men walked through the gates together, the newspaper said Putin was the only target of the plot. Itar-Tass quoted a source at Russia’s security services as denying that people detained early this month for possession of automatic weapons had intended to kill Putin. “The information that these people planned any actions against the country’s leadership is absolutely wrong,” the source said.
The FSB Russian security service also declined to comment on the report.
— Reuters
