Russia claims drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence, Kyiv calls it ‘fabrication’

Moscow did not disclose Putin’s whereabouts at the time of the alleged strike.

On Wednesday, Russia’s defence ministry released a nighttime video purportedly showing a downed drone lying in snow in a forested area.

The ministry claimed the attack was “targeted, carefully planned and carried out in stages,” describing it as a “mass” drone launch that began around 7 pm on December 28.

According to the ministry, the drone was equipped with a high-explosive warhead containing multiple striking elements and was intended to damage manpower and civilian infrastructure.

It said the target was a “protected facility” in the Valdai district of the Novgorod region, where Putin has a residence.

Russian authorities added that the president’s home was not damaged.

The alleged attack occurred against the backdrop of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida, a coincidence Moscow has highlighted.

Ukraine flatly denied the accusation, branding it a “lie” and a “fabrication” aimed at manipulating the peace process.

The European Union echoed Kyiv’s position, saying the video appeared intended to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Russia has described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and a “personal attack” on Putin, warning it would harden its position in talks related to the war in Ukraine.

However, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) expressed scepticism over Moscow’s claims. In an assessment released Tuesday, the ISW said it had not observed the kind of corroborating footage or reporting that typically follows Ukrainian deep strikes.

It suggested the Kremlin may be using the alleged attack to reinforce its long-standing demands that Ukraine and the West accept Russia’s pre-war conditions from 2021 and 2022.

The competing claims have added a fresh layer of uncertainty to an already volatile conflict, as questions persist over the authenticity of Russia’s allegations and their impact on any potential peace negotiations.