Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly escaped an assassination attempt amid the ongoing war with Ukraine as per reports by Russian media. He was travelling in his Russia-made presidential limousine Aurus Senat when the car was allegedly hit by a "a loud bang from the left front wheel followed by heavy smoke". He was returning to his official residence in a decoy or "backup" motorcade amid deep security fears.
To counter the United States' Cadillac One (a specially crafted vehicle to transport the POTUS), Vladimir Putin, the Russian President commissioned a program to promote Russia-made cars and ordered a presidential limousine for himself.
To facilitate the President's call, Aurus Motors was founded in 2018 as a Russian luxury automobile company and made vehicles only for the Russian presidential state car and motorcade vehicles, including the Presidential Limousine - Aurus Senat. In 2021, the company launched its first civilian model, again the Aurus Senat.
The vehicles initially launched by the Aurus Motors under the Aurus Kortezh (Russian for cortege or motorcade) line of vehicles included the Senat sedan and limousine, Arsenal van, and Komendant SUV. The three vehicles are named after Kremlin towers.
The Aurus Senat limousine is measured at 6,620 mm (260.6 in) in length, 2,020 mm (79.5 in) in width and 1,695 mm (66.7 in) in height. It has a wheelbase of 3,300 mm (129.9 in) and a Curb weight of 6,200 kg (13,669 lb), which is due to heavy armour, making it 2.5 times more heavier than regular version.
The armoured Aurus Senat limousine is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine developed by NAMI (Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute).
Vladimir Putin is among a handful of state heads who loves to drive his vehicle, despite protocols being in place. In 2018, the Russian President held official talks in Sochi with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and took him on a ride around the Sochi Autodrom race track.
Not much is known about the safety of the vehicle, but it gets both bullet and bomb proof armoured plating.