Putin virtually causes crash whereas driving Lada with primary blunder
- Vlad stepped out with no bullet-proof vest, just days after the Trump shooting
Russian leader Vladimir Putin was spotted almost causing a car crash after making a basic driving mistake while taking to the road in a Lada in a bid to boost vehicle sales.
Donning a crisp white shirt with no bullet-proof vest, a defiant 71-year-old Putin today opened a new section of motorway in Tver region before almost causing what could have been an on-road disaster.
Footage of the moment captured the Russian president driving a black Lada Aura on the M-11 highway linking Moscow and St Petersburg – Russia‘s two largest cities – before indicating left in an apparent attempt to avoid white tented obstruction ahead.
But in a driving blunder, the dictator then fails to indicate right when he pulls back in, catching out his security team in their tailing vehicle who nearly drive into the back of the leader’s sedan.
Putin had been driving the Lada in a bid to boost vehicle sales but bravely ditched his bullet-proof vest just days after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
President Vladimir Putin was spotted driving a black Lada Aura down the M-11 highway linking Moscow and St Petersburg before indicating left to seemingly drive around a white tented obstruction
The tyrant leader then veers away from the tent with his indicator still flashing left as his security detail follow closely behind
But as he swerves to pull back on to the right side of the road, he forgets to indicate, causing his security vehicle behind to nearly crash into the back of his Lada
The president safely manages to pull in and avoids a near smash with the larger car behind
The motorway cruise was also his first appearance since the former US president was shot and since his regime accused the US government of working on a bid to assassinate the Kremlin dictator.
Following the short spin in the Lada Aura the president was later seen outside the vehicle surrounded by seven nervous-looking security agents.
One of his security personnel handed him his jacket as he emerged from the car but observers noted there was no sign the tieless Putin was wearing a bulletproof vest which has been alleged previously.
Another operative carried a black briefcase, likely a fold-out shield to protect the dictator from any potential bullets before he addressed highway construction workers.
Footage from within the car while on the drive shows the tyrant president fumbling with his seatbelt before starting the ignition and pulling off.
His security personnel in their own luxury vehicle can be seen tailing him from the window as he makes his way down the road under the glaring sun.
Smiling and chatting with an employee from HNC, a leading automation industry firm, the Russian leader keeps his eyes on the road while enjoying the smooth ride.
Footage from within the vehicle shows Putin cruising down the motorway in a white shirt with the top button undone
He made small talk with a HNC employee while carrying out the drive which saw him open a new section of motorway
The appearance after Putin faced a new call to halt foreign trips because of a perceived threat of a Trump-style assassination bid.
A senior official from the Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova accused Kyiv of directly working on the assassination of 71-year-old Putin.
This followed weekend quotes from the head of Kyiv’s military intelligence agency – the GRU – that there had been unspecified failed attempts to assassinate Putin.
‘They [assassination attempts] were made, but, as you can see, they were unsuccessful so far,’ said Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov.
Zakharova alleged that ‘one of the leaders of the Kyiv regime, Budanov, openly admitted that Ukrainian intelligence was preparing attempts to take the life of the Russian President’.
Putin’s own spokesman Dmitry Peskov was forced to respond, saying: ‘All threats from the Kyiv regime are obvious.
‘Therefore, the security of the first person [Putin] is ensured at the proper level.’
Staunchly pro-Kremlin military analyst Sergey Markov admitted: ‘Putin is the target.
‘And not only for the SBU [Ukrainian security service] and the [GRU], but also for the intelligence services of the USA and Britain and dozens of intelligence services of the world subordinate to them.
As he stepped out of the vehicle following the near crash, Putin’s security team swarmed around him
One passed him a smart blazer, while another carried a black briefcase – likely a fold-out shield to protect the dictator from any potential bullets
The president showed off his rare lack of protective gear as he stepped out of the vehicle
Putin addressed highway construction workers after opening the new section of the M-11 motorway in Russia
‘This is why I believe that Putin should not make visits abroad at all, even to friendly countries.
‘Russia has not yet decided how to respond. And so far there is no response. And this only encourages the enemy to escalate.’
Putin has not directly spoken about the Trump shooting but his spokesman blamed the ‘atmosphere’ of US politics caused by the Biden administration for enabling the shooting.
It was ‘obvious’ Donald Trump’s ‘life was in danger’ ahead of the shooting, he said.
‘The atmosphere around candidate Trump… provoked what America is facing today’.
The former US President was on Saturday night the target of an assassination attempt as he delivered a speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump was shot in the ear by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks and was seen in footage clutching his bloody face and ducking behind the podium, while his security detail created a wall of bodies around him and the gunman was taken out.
The wounded Trump then incredibly stood up and raised his fist in the air and repeatedly yelled ‘fight’ as he was escorted off stage by suited members of the Secret Service.
