Russia Hardens Stance Following Alleged Drone Strike on Putin’s Residence; Kyiv Dismisses Claims as ‘Typical Lies’

Russia Hardens Stance Following Alleged Drone Strike on Putin’s Residence; Kyiv Dismisses Claims as ‘Typical Lies’

The competing claims have significantly heightened tensions in the nearly three-year-old conflict, leaving the future of diplomatic negotiations in a precarious state.

RMN News Political Desk
New Delhi | December 30, 2025

A major diplomatic rift has opened between Moscow and Kyiv following Russian allegations that Ukraine launched a massive drone attack targeting one of President Vladimir Putin’s state residences. While Russia has signaled it will now take a “tougher” stance in peace negotiations, Ukraine has firmly denied the reports, labeling them a fabrication intended to justify further Russian aggression.

The Alleged Attack and Russian Response

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Kyiv deployed 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in an overnight strike on Putin’s residence located in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized the incident as a “terrorist act” specifically designed to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts.

In the wake of the report, the Kremlin announced that its position on any potential peace deals would harden. “This terrorist act was intended to derail the negotiation process,” Peskov stated, adding that the Russian military is currently determining how and when to respond. When questioned about the physical evidence of the strike, Peskov maintained that air defenses intercepted the drones and directed further inquiries regarding wreckage to the defense ministry.

Ukraine Denies “Plausible Evidence”

President Volodymyr Zelensky has categorically rejected the accusations, dismissing them as “typical Russian lies”. Ukrainian officials argued that the Kremlin is using the narrative to create an excuse for continued attacks on Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga noted that nearly 24 hours had passed without Moscow producing any “plausible evidence” to support the claim. “And they won’t. Because there’s none. No such attack happened,” Sybiga posted on social media. Zelensky further accused Moscow of attempting to undermine peace talks through these allegations.

Uncertainty Surrounding Putin’s Whereabouts

The Kremlin has declined to disclose where President Putin was at the time of the alleged strike. Peskov argued that, given the current security climate, such information should not be made public. He also criticized Western media outlets, accusing them of “playing along” with Ukraine’s version of events by questioning if the attack occurred at all—a suggestion he called “completely insane”.

The escalating rhetoric has drawn concern from the international community. The competing claims have significantly heightened tensions in the nearly three-year-old conflict, leaving the future of diplomatic negotiations in a precarious state.

This diplomatic standoff is like two parties in a heated legal battle where one person claims the other tried to break into their home at night, but refuses to show the security footage or even confirm if they were home at the time. The other person claims the entire story was made up just to give the first person an excuse to back out of a settlement agreement. Without the “footage” (evidence), the mediation (peace talks) remains at a complete standstill.