Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that Ukraine attempted to attack Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region. According to his version of events, on the night of December 29, the Russian military detected 91 drones targeting the site, Russian state propaganda agency TASS reported.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry maintains that all drones were shot down, resulting in no damage or casualties. However, the Kremlin has provided no visual evidence of the attack. Lavrov added a series of threats, stating that Russia has already identified targets for retaliatory strikes and determined the timing of such attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically rejected the accusations, calling them lies. He linked Moscow's information "leak" to the successful negotiations in Mar-a-Lago, which the Russians perceive as a failure. According to the President, the Kremlin is attempting to create a pretext for a new escalation.
"The Russians do not want to end this war. By claiming that some residence was attacked, they are simply laying the groundwork to strike the capital and government buildings," Zelensky emphasized.
The President urged Ukrainians to pay close attention to air raid sirens in the coming days, recalling the September missile strike near the Cabinet of Ministers building.
Notably, Lavrov's figure of 91 drones contradicts official reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense. On the morning of December 29, the ministry reported significantly fewer intercepted targets over the Novgorod region: initially stating 18, and later adding another 23 drones.