A post shared on Facebook claims Russian President Vladimir Putin was assassinated by “unknown armed forces,” prompting the country to declare a state of emergency.

Facebook/Screenshot

Verdict: False

There is no evidence to suggest that Putin was assassinated. He is still alive as of press time.

Fact Check:

One of Putin’s high-ranking and long-standing aides, Anatoly Chubais, unexpectedly resigned and left the country over a reported row with the Kremlin over the invasion of Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. Now, a Facebook post claims Putin had been assassinated by “unknown armed forces.” The post goes on to suggest the Russian government declared a state of emergency as a result of the purported assassination and includes a link to what appears to be a news article about the developments.

There is no evidence to suggest Putin has died. Neither the U.S. State Department, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the U.S. nor the Russian government have announced the death of Putin. There are likewise no credible news reports from outlets such as The New York Times and BBC News about the alleged assassination. The link included in the Facebook post directs to a blog article that offers no additional details to support the post’s claim.

Putin appeared on a televised government meeting March 23 to announce a new policy that requires “unfriendly countries” to pay for Russian natural gas in Russian rubles, according to NPR. (RELATED: Does This Image Show A Genuine Time Magazine Cover Related To The Invasion Of Ukraine?)

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham recently made headlines by calling for the assassination of the Russian leader, according to ABC News.