Russia claimed that as many as 91 long-range Ukrainian drones attempted to attack the country residence of President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region, located north of Moscow, in what officials described as a serious escalation.
In a televised statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the drone attack took place during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. He said all the drones were successfully intercepted and downed, and no damage was caused to the presidential residence or surrounding areas.
Lavrov warned that Russia reserves the right to respond at a time of its choosing, describing the incident as a deliberate attempt by Kyiv and its allies to sabotage ongoing and future peace efforts.
According to the Russian foreign minister, the drone strikes were aimed at derailing peace negotiations and increasing tensions at a sensitive diplomatic moment. Despite the incident, Lavrov said Moscow would not abandon talks and would continue peace discussions with the team of United States President Donald Trump.
📢 8,000+ readers already joined for instant Kashmir News Trust updates
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, quoted by Russian television channels, said President Putin personally informed President Trump about the attempted attack during a phone conversation on Monday. Ushakov claimed that Trump was shocked upon hearing about the alleged drone strike targeting the presidential residence.
Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of expanding drone operations deep into Russian territory, while Kyiv has not officially commented on the specific claim related to the Novgorod region. The situation continues to add strain to an already volatile conflict with broader geopolitical implications. [KNT]
