No choice but to physically eliminate Zelensky: Russia after 'drone assassination attempt' on Putin

After Russia alleged that President Vladimir Putin was targeted by Ukraine in a 'drone assassination attack', the deputy chairman of the country's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday called for killing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "There are no other options left other than the physical elimination of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his clique," Medvedev said in a strongly-worded statement, reported TASS news agency.

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Medvedev gave out the warning to Zelensky on Wednesday on his Telegram channel. He wrote, "After today's terrorist attack, there are no options left other than the physical elimination of Zelensky and his clique," he said.

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He also said it "is not even needed for signing an instrument of unconditional surrender. Hitler, as is known, did not sign it either. There will always be some substitute."

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This came after Kremlin claimed earlier that it was attacked by Ukrainian drones overnight. As per Russia, Ukraine's game plan was to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin termed it a "planned terrorist attack" to take out Putin.

The drone attack triggered a strong reaction from Moscow, which vowed it would take "retaliatory measures." "Tonight, the Kyiv regime attempted a drone strike on the Kremlin residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Two drones were aimed at the Kremlin," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

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"We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of the Russian Federation, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 parade," the Kremlin said, adding that Putin was not in the building at the time of the alleged attack.

“Russia reserves the right to respond to an attempted strike on the Kremlin where and when it sees fit,” the statement said.

The war in Ukraine is taking a significant turn as Kyiv strengthens its spring counteroffensive after a gruelling winter. It is more than a year now and the Russia-Ukraine war is going on. The attacks and counterattacks have intensified in the last few days, and Russian oil depots in Crimea have been attacked by Ukrainian drones.

After the drone attack, a Russian minister said on Thursday that Ukraine's alleged attempt to take out Putin was not only an attack on him but also on the Russian society.

Leader of the ruling United Russia party’s faction in the State Duma Vladimir Vasilyev wrote on his Telegram, "The attack on the Kremlin, assassination attempts on political leaders, acts of sabotage at railways, electricity transmission lines, and infrastructure facilities, including the explosion of the Crimean Bridge, and gas pipeline blasts, are the facts of terrorist activities of the Kiev regime and its sponsors."

"Today, terrorism has raised it head again and is targeting the very heart of Russia. Attacks targeting the president are targeting each one of us. To thwart them, maximal consolidation, vigilance, cooperation with law enforcement agencies and special services are need. And the most important thing is understanding that all of us must defend the motherland and the president," he added.

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