Ukrainian and European officials have dismissed allegations from Moscow that Ukraine attempted to carry out a drone attack on a personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The claims, made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday, assert that Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence in the northern Novgorod region with multiple drones. This incident has raised concerns about the potential impact on ongoing U.S.-led peace negotiations as the new year approaches.
According to Lavrov, the alleged attack prompted Moscow to reconsider its negotiating stance. However, U.S. national security officials have reportedly concluded that Ukraine did not target Putin or his residences. A report from the Wall Street Journal indicates that this assessment was supported by a CIA evaluation, which found no evidence of an attack aimed at Putin. A CIA spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Initially, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for the Russian claims, stating that Putin informed him of the incident and appeared “very angry” about it. By midweek, Trump seemed more skeptical, sharing a New York Post editorial that accused Russia of obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials firmly denied the allegations, labeling them a Russian disinformation campaign designed to create discord between Kyiv and Washington. Following a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which both parties described as cordial and productive, Ukraine distributed a detailed briefing paper to European Union delegations. This document suggested that the accusations from Moscow were intended to undermine the agreements reached during the South Florida meeting.
In response to the allegations, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, characterized Russia’s claims as “a deliberate distraction.” She emphasized that “no one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war.”
As of Wednesday, there was no independent verification of the alleged drone attack. The conflicting narratives from Russia and Ukraine highlight their efforts to influence Trump’s perceptions of the ongoing conflict, which has now lasted nearly four years. Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Kurt Volker, stated that there is “no evidence” to support claims that Putin seeks peace or desires Ukraine’s success, contrary to Trump’s assertions.
On the same day, Russia’s defense ministry released video footage allegedly showing a senior officer, Major General Alexander Romanenkov, discussing the supposed attack on Putin’s residence. The footage included images of a Russian serviceman next to debris from a Ukrainian drone, claimed to be a Chaklun-V armed with a 6-kilogram explosive that allegedly failed to detonate. Ukraine’s foreign ministry responded by dismissing the footage, asserting its “absolute confidence” that no attack occurred.
Before Lavrov’s accusations, Novgorod Governor Alexander Dronov had stated that air defenses and fighter jets were intercepting Ukrainian drones. While Trump suggested the incident could be a Russian “false flag” operation, he has occasionally appeared to accept controversial statements from Putin without skepticism. Earlier this year, he reiterated Putin’s claims of Russian forces encircling Ukrainian troops, despite contradicting U.S. intelligence.
The discourse surrounding the alleged Ukrainian drone attack coincides with speculation among some Western intelligence officials that Russia may be attempting to delay further punitive measures from Washington aimed at forcing Moscow into a peace agreement. Reuters was unable to confirm whether the U.S. intelligence community has evaluated the alleged attack or briefed Congress on relevant findings.
In the briefing paper circulated by Ukrainian officials, they noted the striking similarities in public remarks made by various Russian officials shortly after the alleged incident. This, they argued, indicated pre-coordination among officials in Moscow. Additionally, residents in a town near Putin’s Novgorod residence reported to local media that they heard no sounds of air defenses during the night of the alleged attack.
The Russian defense ministry provided inconsistent accounts of the purported drone incidents. In a statement released late on Sunday via the Telegram messaging platform, the ministry claimed that 89 long-range Ukrainian attack drones were intercepted across the country, with 18 intercepted over the Novgorod region. However, it did not specifically assert that these were part of an attack on Putin’s residence. A subsequent statement on Monday claimed that 91 drones, all allegedly heading for Putin’s residence, were intercepted, including 41 over Novgorod.
As tensions continue to escalate, the situation remains fluid, with both sides actively working to shape the narrative surrounding the conflict.
