A former aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed the tyrant’s supposed plan to flee to South America in the event he loses the war in Ukraine.
Dubbed Operation Noah’sAark, the comments were made on Telegram by Putin’s former speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov.
“As the name implies, it is about finding new lands where you can go in case it becomes completely uncomfortable in your homeland,” said Mr Gallyamov.
“The leader’s entourage does not exclude that he will lose the war, lose power and he will have to urgently evacuate somewhere.”
Quoting information given to him via an “insider” source, Mr Gallyamov said Putin’s team has considered Latin America – in particular Argentina and Venezuela – as potential options. Putin has previously discussed increasing international co-operation with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.
According to the source, a key ally of Putin, Yury Kurilin, who works closely with the head of Rosneft, Russia’s major energy corporation has “now devoted himself entirely to Noah’s ark”.
“He has American citizenship and good connections,” wrote Mr Gallyamov, who last worked for Putin’s regime in 2010 and now works as an independent political analyst.
“He graduated from Hayward University in California, worked in BP structures, including in the high position of director of corporate affairs.”
Venezuela ‘great friends’ with Putin
The Venezuelan President has also spoken of his admiration of Russia, as well as Iran, China, India and Belarus. In a speech made on state TV in November, Mr Maduro said: “We have great friends in the world with a great scientific and technological capacity, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, our brothers in India, Belarus”.
It’s national current, the bolivar (BsD) has also tumbled in value over the past month, sparking mass inflation fears. Between now and November 1, the currency has fallen nearly 35 per cent against the US dollar.
Putin issues chilling nuclear warning
The leaked potential plans came as Putin agreed the likelihood of nuclear war was rising.
“In terms of the threat of nuclear war, you are right, such threat is increasing,” he told Russia’s Human Rights Council at the Kremlin on Wednesday.
He added that it “would be wrong to hide it”.
However, he claimed that “under no circumstances” would Russia initiate the use of the destructive weapons, and would only be forced to initiate their supply in the event of a “retaliatory strike”.
“We have not gone mad, we are aware of what nuclear weapons are,” he said.
“We aren’t about to run around the world brandishing this weapon like a razor.
“Nevertheless, we have a strategy … it is all based around the so-called retaliatory strike, that is, when we are struck, we strike in response.”
