Vladimir Putin ‘has plan to flee to South America if he loses war in Ukraine’

The Russian leader is reportedly thinking about where he and his family should go if Russia loses the war (Picture: Reuters via state-owned agency Sputnik)

Vladimir Putin’s cronies have a secret plan to help him flee to South America if Russia loses the war in Ukraine, a former ally claims.

In the plot, which has been dubbed Operation Noah’s Ark, his family and other close members of his entourage will reportedly flee to Argentina or Venezuela.

Mikhail Kovalchuk, a high profile scientist and supporter of the Russian president, reportedly pitched China as an option but the Kremlin decided against it because ‘the Chinese do not like losers’.

That is according to Abbas Gallyamov, Mr Putin’s speechwriter between 2008 and 2010, who is now based in Israel and is critical of the Kremlin.

He said: ‘Normally I do not share insider stories, but today will be an exception.

‘First of all I really trust the source, and secondly the information is way too racy.

‘The project was about searching for new lands if the situation in the motherland ceased being cosy.

‘His circle believes it is possible he might.’

The information about Operation Noah’s Ark has come from Putin’s former speech-writer Abbas Gallyamov (Picture: East2West News)

Mr Putin’s close ally Igor Sechin, a multi-billionaire who is part of his inner circle, is the main person backing Venezuela as an option.

Mr Gallyamov added: ‘Putin has a good personal relationship with Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro’.

Two Kremlin military bases deep inside Russia were rocked by drone strikes this week. The Russian government has blamed them on Kyiv.

Shortly afterwards, a fireball erupted above a Russian airport near the border with Ukraine.

‘An oil reservoir caught on fire. It is being contained. All emergency services are working on the spot,’ said Kursk governor Roman Starovoyt. The airport houses military planes.

A huge fireball rises over Kursk airport as a result of a drone attack (Picture: Supplied)

Kyiv has not commented on whether its military was behind the attacks.

Ten months into an operation the Kremlin believed would be over in days, Mr Putin has resorted to talking up Russia’s nuclear capabilities

The Russian president said his military would ‘defend ourselves with all the means at our disposal’ but added ‘we haven’t gone mad, we realise what nuclear weapons are’.

He made the comments during a televised meeting where he discussed the ongoing assault on Ukraine at length, admitting it could be a very long war but stopped short of signalling further mobilisation of reserves.

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