CaliToday (30/12/2025): Ukraine has categorically denied launching a drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s secluded residences, dismissing the Kremlin's accusations as a "fabrication" designed to derail fragile peace negotiations just as they reach a critical juncture.
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| Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dragged on for nearly four years (Andriy Andriyenko) |
The Accusation and Denial On Tuesday, Kyiv officials stated there was no "plausible evidence" to support Moscow's claim that Ukrainian drones targeted Putin's heavily guarded estate in the Novgorod region, located between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
"Almost a day passed and Russia still hasn't provided any plausible evidence," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga posted on social media. "And they won't. Because there's none. No such attack happened."
The denial came nearly 24 hours after the Kremlin announced it had shot down drones targeting the residence, labeling the incident a "terrorist act" and a "personal attack against Putin." Kremlin spokespeople warned that the Russian military has already decided "how, when and where" to retaliate, while simultaneously announcing they would "toughen" their stance in ongoing talks to end the nearly four-year-old war.
Diplomatic Fallout The incident has driven a wedge into the diplomatic landscape. The accusation comes just a day after President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida to discuss a U.S.-drafted peace roadmap—a plan Kyiv says it has 90% agreed to.
However, President Trump appeared to side with the Russian narrative following a Monday morning call with Putin. "You know who told me about it? President Putin... he said he was attacked. It's no good," Trump told reporters. "It's one thing to be offensive because they're offensive. It's another thing to attack his house."
In contrast, European leaders rallied around Zelensky. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took to social media to urge transparency, subtly questioning the Russian narrative. "We are moving the peace process forward. Transparency and honesty are now required from everyone – including Russia," Merz stated.
Strategic Timing Analysts suggest the timing of the alleged attack is suspicious. The Novgorod residence, exposed in investigations by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny as a luxury lakeside fortress, has become Putin’s preferred retreat due to its isolation and air defense capabilities.
Kyiv believes Moscow is using the alleged incident as a pretext to reject the current peace proposal, which falls short of Russia's maximalist land demands. Meanwhile, on the ground, the war grinds on; Ukraine ordered mandatory evacuations in the northern Chernigiv region on Tuesday due to intensifying shelling, while Russian troops continue to make incremental gains in the east.