Putin Will Not Present at G20 Summit Due to Death Threats

VIVA – President Vladimir Putin will not attend the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia next week. Death threats are the reasons for the Russian leader's absence, according to Russian political strategist and former Putin advisor Sergey Markov.

"The reason why Putin is not going to the G20 is serious. There is a high probability of a death threat Putin from the special services of the US, UK, and Ukraine," The Russian political strategist and former Putin advisor, Sergey Markov said, as quoted from The Independent. 

Sergey Markov also revealed a possible scenario where Putin would experience an embarrassing situation during the Bali G20 summit.

"For example, some social activists will take Putin down, as if by accident, and all the world's media will show a picture with the title 'Russian President crawling'," Markov wrote.

"I'm sure this kind of situation is being planned by some crazy Westerners," Markov added.

Former DIA intelligence officer for Russian Doctrine & Strategy, Rebekah Koffler, told to Fox News that there are more than a dozen possible assassination attempts on Vladimir Putin during his leadership.

However, Koffler added any suggestion that US or UK intelligence would have made such an attempt was highly unfounded, and part of a Russian disinformation campaign to make excuses for skipping the event.

"My assessment is there may be other reasons why he is not going to Bali next week, perhaps other than security concerns," Koffler remarked.

"Intelligence indicators are suggesting that the Russians may be setting a trap in Kherson. They retreated to lure Ukrainian troops and carry out a massacre. The Russians may be planning to use inhumane and barbaric methods such as RDDs (radiological dispersal devices) commonly known as 'dirty bombs' or they could trigger flooding by targeting nearby dams," Koffler explained.

Moreover, Koffler said that Putin likely wants to remain in Russia given that if the controversial method is carried out, the US will respond with its escalation, so he has to make an important decision.

An Indonesian government official confirmed on Thursday that Putin will not attend the G20 summit, avoiding a possible confrontation with the United States and its allies over his invasion of Ukraine.

Head of the G20 event, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said Putin's decision not to come is best for all.

"It has been officially informed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the G20 Summit, and will be represented by high-level officials, and this has been discussed by President Joko Widodo and Putin in previous telephone conversations," Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said after meeting security officials in Denpasar, the capital of Bali.