Three days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his Russian counterpart would die soon. And now Vladimir Putin's luxurious limousine has exploded a street in Moscow.
A video of the explosion, which went viral on social media, shows an Aurus Senat limousine blowing up in broad daylight as onlookers flee. The $375,000 limo is part of Putin's official motorcade and some reports suggest it was an assassination attempt.
### **Is Vladimir Putin safe?**
It is not clear if the Russian leader was in the vicinity when the explosion occurred. But reports suggest that Putin is reportedly safe. Though the limousine was said to be occupied when the fire erupted, no injuries were reported.
The incident happened in Moscow's Lubyanka, which is just a few metres from the Russian secret service FSB's headquarters.
The fire brigade were quick to douse the flames by pouring water on the engine. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but the blaze reportedly started from the engine before spreading to the interiors. The vehicle's front portion has been damaged completely.
The shocking explosion occurred days after Zelenskyy said the Ukraine war will end as Putin will die soon. "Putin will die soon and that's a fact," he said, "The war will come to an end".
The Russian state media have dismissed the explosion as a minor accident. The FSB is currently probing incident and is looking at sabotage angles. Meanwhile, Putin's security has been beefed up.
There have been rumours about Putin's worsening health after the president was seen with a puffy face and making jerky movements with his hands and legs. In another video, Putin was seen coughing frequently.
However, reports about Putin's ill-health have been dismissed by Kremlin sources. Some even speculated that Putin was suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease.