Russia on Wednesday released night-time footage of a downed drone, claiming it was part of a Ukrainian attack targeting President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region of north-west Russia. The video was published by Russia’s defence ministry and allegedly shows a damaged drone lying in a snow-covered, forested area.
The footage comes after Moscow claimed earlier this week that Ukraine launched 91 long-range attack drones at a presidential residence. Kyiv has strongly denied the allegation, calling it a “lie” and a “complete fabrication.”
According to AFP, Russia’s defence ministry said the alleged attack was “targeted, carefully planned and carried out in stages.” The Kremlin has described the incident as a “terrorist act” and a “personal attack against Putin.” However, a Kremlin spokesperson said earlier that no physical evidence could be immediately shared as all drones were “shot down.”
Ukraine rejected the claims, saying there was no “plausible” evidence that it had targeted any of Putin’s residences. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of spreading falsehoods and urged international partners to independently verify Russia’s assertions. He reiterated that Ukraine’s negotiating team had reviewed the details with US counterparts and concluded the incident was staged.
Zelensky also said he would meet allies in France on January 6 to renew peace efforts, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump criticised Kyiv following Russia’s claims, saying President Putin had personally informed him about the alleged attack. Trump said that while offensive actions in war were one thing, attacking a leader’s residence was another.
The incident has further escalated tensions amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with sharply differing accounts from both sides and growing international scrutiny over the claims.