..it doesn't seem to be done very often. Is this because it is very difficult to do, or because of international law, code of conduct, blah blah blah. In theory, would it be almost impossible for one nation's special forces to assassinate another's head of state? Obviously, I'm talking about Putin.
The assassination of heads of states by other states...
Shouldn't this be in the USA folder?
I'm not talking about CIA-led coups, or invasions. I just mean, killing the leader of another country and then leaving them to sort it out.
Isn't that what Putin's trying to do in a rather overt operation?
But that is exactly what I don't mean! Not an invasion, just sending in your crack FSB/CIA/SAS hitman/men/woman/women and then getting the fuck out. It is NEVER done. Why?
It seems to happen a lot in the fillums.
High chance of ending up openly at war with the target’s extremely pissed off successor?
Perhaps it does. If you knew it wouldn't be much of a secret service mission.
Etiquette, I would guess. As a head of state authorising this, you've changed the game and put you and other heads of state at risk too.
Operation Storm-333 (Russian: Шторм-333, romanized: Štorm-333), also known as the Tajbeg Palace Assault, was a covert operation that took place on 27 December 1979, in which Soviet special forces stormed the heavily fortified Tajbeg Palace in Afghanistan and assassinated People's Democratic Party General Secretary Hafizullah Amin. It marked the beginning of what would become the 10-year Soviet-Afghan War.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Storm-333
North Korea had a go:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoon_bombing
Operation Storm-333 (Russian: Шторм-333, romanized: Štorm-333), also known as the Tajbeg Palace Assault, was a covert operation that took place on 27 December 1979, in which Soviet special forces stormed the heavily fortified Tajbeg Palace in Afghanistan and assassinated People's Democratic Party General Secretary Hafizullah Amin. It marked the beginning of what would become the 10-year Soviet-Afghan War.
Doesn't count, it was part of an invasion.
And, famously, the US tried to off Castro many, many, times.