As one of the most hated men in the world, it is perhaps not a shock to the system to discover there has been a queue of people wanting Vladimir Putin dead over the years.
The Russian leader reportedly escaped an attempt on his life just weeks into the conflict in Ukraine.
So worried is the warmonger that another may be coming, he has surrounded himself with an elite group of snipers and it is claimed he is even using body doubles.
But Putin certainly appears to be no stranger to dodging a bullet.
There are said to have been no fewer than five serious assassination attempts involving the dictator, and some real near-misses.
Now, the President refuses to take any chances - and has become obsessed with the idea someone is out to get him, sources claim.
The Kremlin is heavily guarded around the clock as security was ramped up following the start of his deadly invasion.
In the event of an assassination, a "little-known tax official" named Mikhail Mishustin would take control of the Russian state, according to Business Insider.
Putin has escaped a number of times, and is determined there will be no close-call repeat.
We know of five attempts to kill the president. Here is how he side-stepped death in the face of some single-minded enemies.
Caucasus attack
The most recent attempt on his life arrived little over two months ago.
Days after the Ukraine invasion begun, the tyrant was attacked in the Caucasus - an area comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia.
The nation's Chief of Defence Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov told Ukrainian Pravda: "Putin was assassinated.
"He was even attacked in the line of, as they say, representatives of the Caucasus not so long ago.
"This is non-public information. Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really took place… It was about 2 months ago."
"Once again, he was unsuccessful. There is no publicity about this event, but it took place."
The first attempt
Attacks on the Russian president are not a new thing.
The war lord has had enemies for decades - but the first attempt on his life was reportedly not registered until 2002.
Over 20 years ago, Putin paid a state visit to Azerbaijan - but little did he know a group of Iraqi men were plotting his downfall.
According to reports one man, arrested after the plan was disturbed, was set to deliver explosives to a co-conspirator.
Putin's security learned about the plan and swooped to arrest him and the accomplice.
Both men, not named, were sentenced to ten years in prison.
Another warning fired
Just a month later, another warning came.
A man drove into the Kremlin and jumped out of his car to talk to security guards.
He reportedly told them: "My name is Ivan Zaitsev. I'm the President of Russia. Now take me to Vladimir Putin!"
He was sent to receive an evaluation at a nearby hospital - but by the end if 2002, he was said to have a hand in the second attempt.
The Russian leader was supposed to be driving along a motorway in Moscow.
But 40 kilos of explosives had been discovered, and they were set to detonate along the road. His detonation team got there just in time.
Brits involved
British anti-terror police were said to have had to step in to scupper a plot to kill Putin in October 2003.
Two male would-be assassins were arrested after they were accused of hatching a plan to have Putin gunned down by a sniper.
The men, aged 40 and 36, were allegedly former Russian secret service hitmen.
Police confirmed no further action would be taken against them.
But the incident reportedly shook Putin, and his extra security seemed to work - there was quite a wait, but more threats eventually arrived.
Sniper's wife killed after 'plot'
It took nearly ten years for the next alleged plot to assassinate Putin to come to light - and a former British public schoolboy was the one to try.
But for sniper Adam Osmayev, then 36, his foiled attempt cost his wife her life.
The Chechen had been accused of a bid to blow up the president's motorcade in Moscow.
Amina Okueyva was fatally shot in the head in 2012, but Osmayev cheated death in a bloody ambush. He blamed the attack on Russia.
The man later appeared half-naked on state TV, making a supposed confession.
Osmayev said in his appearance: “Our goal was to go to Moscow and try to kill Prime Minister Putin... Our deadline was after the Russian presidential election.”
The Russian security services previously claimed that Osmayev was “a graduate of a prestigious institution of higher learning in Great Britain”.
