Belarusian leader "recalls" warning Putin about threat of assassination attempt in Africa
Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that he warned Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin about a potential assassination attempt during a trip to South Africa in 2023.
Source: Lukashenko speaking to journalists, as reported by Belarusian state-owned news outlet BelTA
Details: Lukashenko recounted what he described as a conversation with Putin, who was "packing his suitcases" ahead of the BRICS summit in South Africa. He said it was a "friendly, brotherly conversation, not a rustic one".
Quote: "Tonight, I recalled a conversation with Putin. I think it was before the BRICS summit in South Africa. He was packing his suitcases. I said: 'Where are you going?' He replied: 'What, don't you know? We have the BRICS summit.' I asked: 'Are you planning to fly there?' It was a friendly, brotherly conversation. I told the elder brother [Putin – ed.]: 'Are you planning to fly there?' He said: 'Well, they invited me, I'm expected there.' I said: 'Are you crazy? There's a war going on!' 'Well, they are not that crazy anymore, not that extreme.' I replied: 'Are you suggesting they're all sane over there? You shouldn't go at all!' [Russian Foreign Minister Sergei] Lavrov was the one who went there. Maybe not because I pressed him. But I expressed my opinion to him."
Background:
- On 29 December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukraine had struck Putin's residence on the night of 28-29 December.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially denied this claim, while Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service said Russia is using such false statements as part of an information operation aimed at derailing peace arrangements between Ukraine and the United States.
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