Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the possible postponement of the elections in Ukraine as a great opportunity, even as a turning point for achieving several of his significant goals.
Russian state media gladly speculates about the possibility of a coup in Kyiv, justifying such an act by postponing the presidential elections and Volodymyr Zelensky losing legitimacy.
But more than that, why would anyone rule out the Russian leader's desire to physically remove the Ukrainian president? At this moment, Putin has many reasons to remove Zelensky.
Putin identified the possible rescheduling of the presidential elections in Ukraine as a convenient time to try and kill Volodymyr Zelensky, thus not making this murder attempt appear as a horrific political assassination.
An ordinary citizen
Putin sees it as an opportunity to deflect criticism of killing a legitimate and democratic president, given that the Ukrainian president's 5-year term ends on May 20.
After Volodymyr Zelensky's current presidential term is over, according to the Kremlin’s expectations, he will no longer be the legitimate president of Ukraine.
The Kremlin will identify Volodymyr Zelensky as not only an illegitimate head of state but as an ordinary citizen
The Kremlin will then identify Volodymyr Zelensky as not only an illegitimate head of state but as an ordinary citizen who does not enjoy international legal protection as a duly elected leader.
The end of Zelensky's mandate is being fuelled by the Kremlin as a suitable moment for action against the Ukrainian state leadership, which has been widely identified in the public as the organiser and financier of the terrorist attack on civilians in Moscow's Crocus City Hall.
In the narrative that has already been created, any action against the Ukrainian leadership, particularly the murder of Volodymyr Zelensky, would be presented and recognised in Russia as the successful completion of the anti-terrorist operation and just retribution for the crime in Moscow.
Creating scared negotiators
It has been a long time since Vladimir Putin attempted to decapitate Ukraine, hoping that a different Ukrainian leader would be more inclined to surrender.
Ever since the start of the invasion in February 2022, Russia believed that whoever stepped into Volodymyr Zelensky's shoes would not have such massive global respect and support.
Vladimir Putin is convinced he could negotiate with a different Ukrainian leadership from a position of strength.
Putin has multiple motives to attempt another assassination, this time at the highest political level
Putin, therefore, has multiple motives to attempt another assassination, this time at the highest political level.
It will enable him to appease not only the demoralised and brainwashed public but also the army by demonstrating to them that he is still strong enough to deal a heavy blow to the enemy against whom he has been fighting for more than 2 years instead of the expected 3 days.
The new Ukrainian leadership is Putin's primary motivation. Those new Ukrainian representatives will not enjoy the same level of respect and admiration as Zelensky, both domestically and internationally.
The Kremlin expects potential successors to have a far softer negotiating style than Zelensky if faced with his tragic fate.
Puppet regime in Kyiv
If it succeeds in its intention, Russia will immediately engage in emotional intelligence activities against new Ukrainian representatives.
“The West will betray you”, Vladimir Putin or his negotiators will say to new Ukrainian leaders.
They could also say that "the West intentionally slowed down the Ukrainian offensive when the Ukrainian army did the unthinkable in the early days of the war”.
Russia has tried several times to kill Volodymyr Zelensky. He mentioned 5 or 6 attempts, and his advisors said "more than a dozen."
"America stopped providing weapons and other aid to Ukraine because the West, and particularly America, do not want Ukraine to win”. And finally: "Surrender or Russia will kill you as it killed Volodymyr Zelensky."
Russia has tried several times to kill Volodymyr Zelensky. He mentioned 5 or 6 attempts, and his advisors said "more than a dozen.".
These include the first day of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, when the goal of the Russian paratroopers was to reach and eliminate the president and his associates, or at least arrest them and install a puppet regime in their place.
Russia will try hard to succeed. The government in Kyiv without Volodymyr Zelensky is still Russia's priority, perhaps more than ever in the past 2 years.
