Day: May 26, 2025

Putin: was it an assassination attempt?

Blog, Conflict, Europe, Politics, Russia

Brussels 26.05.2025 A Russian military commander of its air defense division claimed that President Vladimir Putin’s helicopter was “at the epicentre” of a Ukrainian drone attack on May 20, while travelling in Kursk oblast.

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“We were simultaneously engaged in an air defense battle and ensuring airspace security for the president’s helicopter flight. The helicopter was effectively at the epicenter of the response to the massive drone attack” Yury Dashkin said.

The claim, made five days after the alleged incident in Kursk Oblast, has not been independently verified. Dashkin provided no evidence to support the claim, and Russian authorities have not released further details.

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Putin’s visit to Kursk marked his first public trip to the region since Russian forces reclaimed most of the territory from Ukrainian control which was established there in August last year.

The incident raises question of the respect of the international law by Ukraine while attacking military target – the helicopter – in Kursk oblast, which is undisputable Russian territory. In international law, self-defense is the right of a state to use force in response to an armed attack. This right is recognized under Article 51 of the UN Charter and customary international law, which permits the use of force in self-defense when an armed attack occurs, according to the ICRC online casebook.
However the response must be necessary and proportional to the attack.