Russian plot ‘to crash space rocket into Ukraine’ revealed

Leaked phone calls have uncovered an alleged plan by top Russian officials to unleash a mega-bomb crammed with explosives on Kyiv.

Top Russian officials crafted a plan to unleash a space rocket crammed with explosives on Kyiv, shocking leaked phone calls have revealed.

The plot, which included launching a mega-bomb from a massive rocket on the Ukrainian capital, was presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Dmitry Rogozin, the former head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos. Picture: Sputnik / AFP

The terrifying plot was revealed by an intercepted phone call between the former head of the Russian Space Agency Dmitry Rogozin and current rocket chief Dmitri Baranov, The Sun reports.

It is not clear what Mr Putin chose to do about the devastating plan, but Mr Rogozin was fired from the Russian Space Agency last year after threatening to let the “International Space Station” and its Western astronauts crash into a NATO country.

He was recently given a top government job as a Russian senator.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Space pavilion in Moscow. Picture: AFP

The horrific scheme involved using a Soyuz rocket and altering it to prevent it from reaching space, instead smashing back down onto a Ukrainian city, most likely Kyiv, recordings leaked by German outlet Bild indicated.

In the leaked call, Mr Baranov can be heard telling Mr Rogozin that the rocket could be steered in “any direction we want” after launch.

He pointed out a key problem to Mr Rogozin on the recording.

A photograph distributed by Russian state owned agency Sputnik shows President Vladimir Putin overseeing a training exercise of the forces and equipment of ground, sea and air components of nuclear deterrent forces via a video link in Moscow. Picture: AFP

“It’s a supersonic re-entry into the atmosphere, and the existing heavy FAB-500 aerial bombs don’t work, they’re starting to overheat TNT is destroyed in them, and so performance drops critically.

“Our guided bombs are not designed for this either, and they have no protection against overheating.”

According to the leaked recordings, Mr Rogozin demanded: “How big are the crash areas? Where do we have risks?”

Mr Rogozin asks in a voicemail: “Approximately how long will it take to prepare all this s---?”

Mr Baranov tells him: “It might take six months, but that’s kind of the upper limit.”

Those on the calls refer to Mr Putin by terms like the “great and terrible”, according to Bild.

VLADIMIR PUTIN SUFFERS ‘CARDIAC ARREST’

Russian President Vladimir Putin is healthy and does not use body doubles for public appearances, a Kremlin spokesman has said, following claims the Russian President suffered a heart attack last weekend.

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that “everything is fine” with Putin, 71, after the Russian Telegram channel alleged he had to be resuscitated by doctors.

Mr Peskov also denied claims that Mr Putin uses body doubles because of his health or security reasons, describing the rumours as “absurd”.

“This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity,” Mr Peskov said, adding, “This evokes nothing but a smile.”

Pictures released by the Russian state owned agency Sputnik show President Vladimir Putin chairing a Security Council meeting via a video link in Moscow. Picture: AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairing a Security Council meeting in images released after his visit to Beijing. Picture: AFP

The denial came amid claims from the General SVR Telegram channel, which is believed to be run by a former Kremlin insider.

The channel alleged that doctors had to revive Mr Putin after security officers found him lying on the floor next to his bed last weekend with an overturned table of food and drink.

The channel regularly posts claims about Mr Putin’s health issues and suggests he is terminally ill.

It has also claimed that Mr Putin uses body doubles to represent him in public during foreign visits.

Vladimir Putin chats with Army chief of staff Valery Gerasimov at military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don. Picture: AFP

“At about 21:05 Moscow time, security officers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who were on duty at the residence, heard noise and sounds of falling coming from the President’s bedroom,” the channel claimed.

“Two security officers immediately followed into the president’s bedroom and saw Putin lying on the floor next to the bed and an overturned table with food and drinks.

“Probably, when the President fell, he hit the table and dishes and knocked them onto the floor, which caused the noise.

“Putin convulsively arched while lying on the floor, rolling his eyes. The doctors who were on duty at the residence and located in one of the adjacent rooms were immediately called.”

The channel claimed that Mr Putin’s condition had since been “stabilised” and that he been moved to his Moscow home.

The channel continued: “We have already repeatedly talked about the deterioration of Putin’s health due to oncology and a number of other diseases.

“This case of cardiac arrest seriously alarmed the President’s inner circle, despite the fact that the attending doctors had already warned that Putin was very ill and was unlikely to live until the end of autumn.”

It comes after Mr Putin’s visit to Beijing last week, where he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met during a visit that underscored China’s support for Moscow.

Originally published as Russian plot ‘to crash space rocket into Ukraine’ revealed