President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected Russia’s claim that Ukraine carried out a drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences, accusing Moscow of spreading falsehoods to justify further military action and undermine ongoing peace efforts.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, alleged that Ukraine launched an overnight assault using 91 long-range drones targeting Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region, in northwestern Russia. According to Moscow, the incident could prompt a reassessment of Russia’s stance in peace negotiations. It remains unclear whether Putin was present at the site at the time.
Zelensky dismissed the accusation as “typical Russian lies,” arguing that such claims are intended to derail diplomatic momentum and provide the Kremlin with a pretext to continue strikes against Ukraine. He recalled that Russia itself has repeatedly targeted government buildings in Kyiv.
“It is critical that the world does not stay silent,” Zelensky said in a message posted on X. “We cannot allow Russia to sabotage the work toward a lasting peace.”
In a statement published on Telegram, Lavrov said Russian air defence systems intercepted and destroyed all 91 drones allegedly involved in the attack. He added that there were no casualties or material damage. Describing Kyiv as a “criminal regime” engaged in “state terrorism,” Lavrov said Russia would revise its negotiating position, while stressing that Moscow did not intend to withdraw from talks with the United States.
The Russian claim comes shortly after talks between the United States and Ukraine in Florida, where Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky discussed an updated peace proposal. Following the meeting, Zelensky told Fox News that there was a possibility of ending the war in 2026, but emphasized that Ukraine could not prevail without continued US support.
Zelensky said recent signals from Washington, including the prospect of tougher sanctions and economic measures, suggested that President Trump was prepared to take strong action to accelerate a peace process. However, he expressed deep skepticism about Moscow’s intentions, saying he did not believe Putin genuinely wanted peace.
According to Zelensky, the US has proposed security guarantees for Ukraine lasting 15 years, with Trump indicating that an agreement on this issue was close to completion. He said territorial disputes and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remained unresolved, while little progress had been made regarding the Donbas region, which Russia seeks to control entirely.
Russia currently occupies around three-quarters of the Donetsk region and nearly all of neighbouring Luhansk, collectively known as Donbas. Moscow has previously rejected key elements of the peace framework under discussion.
The White House said on Monday that President Trump had held a “positive” phone call with Putin following the US-Ukraine talks. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov later claimed that Putin told Trump the alleged drone attack occurred shortly after what Washington viewed as a successful diplomatic meeting, suggesting it could affect US engagement with Zelensky.
Trump later told reporters he had been informed of the alleged incident by Putin and said he was “very angry” about it, while also acknowledging that it was possible the attack had not taken place. He added that the US was still assessing whether there was any evidence to support Russia’s claims.
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