Russia has accused Ukraine of launching a large-scale drone attack targeting President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, escalating fresh political and military tensions between both nations. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a total of 91 drones were deployed in the “planned strike” on Monday, but all were successfully destroyed by Russian air defence systems.
Lavrov condemned the alleged operation, calling it a “reckless act” and warning that such actions would not go unanswered. He claimed that Russian forces had already identified targets for retaliatory strikes and determined timelines for execution. The minister further said that Moscow would be revising its negotiating stance in light of what he described as Ukraine’s “shift to state terrorism.”
Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump's team. We keep working together to bring peace closer.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 29, 2025
This alleged "residence strike" story is a complete fabrication intended to justify…
Zelenskyy Rejects Allegations, Says Russia Lying to Justify New Attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly denied the accusations in a detailed statement posted on X. He asserted that Russia is spreading false claims to undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts, including talks involving President Trump’s team.
“Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts… This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated. He added that Russia has repeatedly targeted Kyiv in the past, including government buildings such as the Cabinet of Ministers.
Calling the allegations “typical Russian lies,” Zelenskyy said Ukraine does not conduct actions that sabotage diplomacy and urged the global community not to remain silent. “We cannot allow Russia to undermine the work on achieving a lasting peace,” he remarked.
The accusations and counter-statements come at a critical time as the conflict shows no sign of easing, with both nations continuing to exchange diplomatic and battlefield hostilities.