Russia has leveled serious allegations against Ukraine, claiming Kyiv launched a drone assault targeting President Vladimir Putin’s official residence. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Ukrainian forces fired 91 drones toward Putin’s Novgorod region compound between Sunday night and Monday morning, with all projectiles reportedly intercepted and destroyed by Russian air defense systems.
The incident has prompted Moscow to declare a significant shift in its diplomatic approach to the ongoing conflict. Lavrov announced that Russia would ‘revise’ its negotiating position regarding peace talks and has already identified specific targets within Ukraine for what he termed ‘retaliation strikes.’ This development represents a substantial escalation in rhetoric from the Russian government, which characterized the alleged attack as an act of terrorism.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly dismissed the accusations, labeling them as ‘another round of lies’ from Moscow. In statements delivered via WhatsApp to reporters, Zelensky suggested that Russia’s claims were strategically designed to undermine recent progress achieved in Ukraine-US peace negotiations. The Ukrainian leader further asserted that Moscow was fabricating pretexts to justify planned strikes against government buildings in Kyiv.
Zelensky directly appealed to US President Donald Trump to respond appropriately to what he characterized as Russian threats, highlighting the international dimensions of the escalating situation. The exchange occurs amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, with these latest allegations threatening to further complicate peace discussions between the involved parties.