Vladimir Putin has survived five assassination attempts on his life, all of which came before he started the war on Ukraine earlier this year.
In a 2012 interview with US filmmaker Oliver Stone, Putin admitted that he had gone so far as to ask advice from another world leader who had also survived assassination attempts.
Speaking about Putin's 'secret' to staying alive after 'five assassination attempts' for his documentary ‘The Putin Interviews’, Mr Stone told Putin: “Three times President. Five assassination attempts I’m told.
“Not as much as [Fidel] Castro, who I’ve interviewed. I think he must have had 50 but there’s a legitimate five [assassination attempts against Putin] I’ve heard about.”
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Putin replied: “Yes, I talked to Castro about that and he said to me: ‘Do you know why I’m still alive?’ I asked him, ‘Why?’ [Castro said] ‘Because I was always the one to deal with my security personally.’
“I do my job, and the security officers do theirs, and they are still performing quite successfully.”
Mr Stone added: “You trust your security and they’ve done a great job?” Putin reiterated: “I trust them”.
Putin and the Kremlin are protected by a highly trained security force called the Presidential Regiment.
The complex is protected by guard towers from which guards survey the premises while the regiment members are reportedly required to be constantly vigilant and able to hear a whisper from 20 feet away.
The Presidential Regiment must also allegedly adhere to specific weight requirements and be of a specific height.
Despite the Presidential Regiment’s notoriety, Mr Stone said: “Because always the first mode of assassination, [is that] you try to get inside the security of the president”.
The Russian President responded: “Yes I know that. Do you know what they say among the Russian people?
“They say that ‘those that are destined to be hanged are not going to drown.’”
Mr Stone then asked what Putin’s ultimate fate may be, to which the President answered: “Only God knows are destiny. Yours and mine."
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