Putin’s Russian foes exiled in the West ‘have been warned of imminent assassination threat’

Vladimir Putin’s Russian enemies exiled in the West have been warned of an imminent assassination threat against them, an opposition politician has claimed.

Former MP Dmitry Gudkov, 43, who is staunchly against the war in Ukraine, says he was given a specific warning upon his arrival in an unnamed European country.

He claims to be aware of a list of names believed to be threatened by Moscow or its agents, and the identity of another activist who received a similar warning in Turkey.

The chilling warning comes as NATO leaders kick off a two-day summit tomorrow in Vilnius aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Gudkov – whose father Gennady was also a Russian MP – left Moscow before the start of the war after being told by a source close to the Kremlin that he would face arrest.

Gudkov was told to flee Russia because he strongly opposed the invasion of Ukraine and Putin (pictured) himself

He strongly opposes the war and Putin – who, according to the Kremlin, was himself the victim of an assassination attempt in May.

Gudkov said, “I flew to one of the European countries and was immediately pulled over at the airport before passport control and received recommendations from local law enforcement to take precautions.”

“In their opinion, a large number of opposition members and public figures living abroad, whom the Putin regime considers enemies, are now at great risk.”

He was told a list of names he knew.

The threat is ‘new’ as he had flown to the same airport ten days earlier and had not received any warning from the security services.

“Another opposition figure received a similar warning today – but already in Turkey, where he was immediately advised to fly out of the country,” he wrote.

This anti-Putin figure was told that Turkey “could not guarantee their safety.”

Gudkov said, “So if you’re an opposition or public figure, and not necessarily a very famous one, be careful.

“There are now enough people who want to ingratiate themselves with Putin.”

The threat is ‘fresh’ as ​​Gudkov (pictured) had flown into the same airport ten days earlier and received no warning from the security services

Putin’s secret services and agents associated with his ally, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, are known to have committed assassinations or attempted assassinations on foreign soil.

Russian GRU agents posed as tourists in Wiltshire while using Novichok nerve agent against double agent Sergei Skripal in 2018.

Dissident Alexander Litvinenko was killed in London in 2006 by polonium-21 poisoning in a murder attributed to current Russian MP Andrey Lugovoy, 56, who had close ties to the Russian secret services.

He remains a wanted man by Britain to be charged with murder.

Last month, Lugovoy called for Volodymyr Zelensky and other top Ukrainian officials to be wiped out.

“I understand that the British and Americans provide a security system, satellite coverage and so on,” he said.

“But they must be destroyed once and for all.”

Fears of an assassination attempt against Putin’s enemies come as the Russian despot reportedly held a secret meeting with Wagner warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin to plot a plot to assassinate Ukrainian leader Volodymr Zelensky.

Prigozhin, who staged an armed mutiny against Putin’s regime last month, is said to have met with the Russian leader on July 1 in an unannounced session where they discussed Zelensky’s assassination — and “take his head to the Kremlin.”

Lugovoy (pictured) has called for Volodymyr Zelensky and other top Ukrainian officials to be wiped out

It comes amid reports that Putin and Wagner warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin (pictured with Putin) held a meeting to discuss the assassination of Volodymr Zelensky

Prigozhin could try to commit “a great atrocity in favor of Russia” to force his way back into Putin’s regime following his armed uprising aimed at overthrowing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Defense Chief Valery Gerasimov, a spokesman said. from Moscow’s most respected editors, Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov.

It comes after Putin humiliated Prigozhin following his failed uprising in Russia when state media leaked footage that appeared to show the Wagner chief wearing a series of laughable disguises.

One disguise showed Prigozhin as an employee of the Defense Ministry in Sudan, while another disguised him as an assistant diplomat from Abu Dhabi.

Others showed him posing as various military figures from Libya and Syria, and the mercenary leader making strange faces in several selfie shots that appeared on pro-Kremlin Telegram channels.