What we know about Russia’s allegations that Ukraine attacked Putin’s compound – National
Moscow has accused Kyiv of trying to attack the president’s home in northern Russia, allegations that Ukrainian leaders have dismissed as lies aimed at allowing Moscow to continue the war in Ukraine.
What is Russia’s fault?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday accused Ukraine of attacking the presidential compound in the Novgorod region overnight with 91 long-range attack aircraft and said Russia would retaliate.
He said that no one was injured and that although Moscow was not giving up on negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, its negotiating position is being reviewed following the attack that he described as “state terrorism.”
Lavrov did not give any evidence in this case. He said that Russia has already identified targets in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Russia’s accusations as “another series of lies” aimed at justifying further attacks on Ukraine and escalating the ongoing war since President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
“This alleged ‘occupational strike’ story is a complete fiction aimed at justifying further attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv, and Russia’s own refusal to take the necessary steps to end the war. Russian lies are typical,” he said.
Russia regularly launches hundreds of non-cooperative aircraft and missile launches almost daily in an attack on Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on world leaders on Monday to condemn Russia for its allegations, adding on Tuesday: “Almost a day has passed and Russia still hasn’t provided any concrete evidence to its accusation of an alleged ‘attack on Putin’s territory’ in Ukraine. And it won’t. Because there is no such attack.”
The Valdai settlement, also known as “Uzhin” or “Dolgiye Borody,” is a heavily guarded complex on the shores of Lake Valdai about 360 kilometers (225 miles) north of Moscow.
Where was Putin during the attack?
It was not clear where Putin was at the time of the attack but he held meetings on Saturday and Monday in the Kremlin. Putin has not commented publicly on the situation and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that due to recent events such information should not be made public.
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Shortly before Lavrov issued his statement, Putin held a meeting in the Kremlin with Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov and top generals about the war in Ukraine. He did not mention any Ukrainian drone attacks on residential areas.
Putin informed Trump of Monday’s attack.
“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump told reporters.
“It’s one thing to be offensive,” Trump said. “It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that. And I learned about it from President Putin today. I was very angry about it.”
After Lavrov’s statement, Russia’s Defense Ministry said 91 planes were shot down in the direction of the president’s residence, including 49 shot down in the Bryansk area 450 kilometers from Valdai, one in the Smolensk region and 41 in the forested Novgorod region.
The Ministry of Defense had not said anything about the attack on the facility in its previous military report. The governor of Novgorod, Alexander Dronov, said air defense and warplanes were shooting down Ukrainian drones.
Asked whether Russia had concrete evidence of the drone attack, Peskov said on Tuesday that the question of danger was for the defense ministry.
Has Russia blamed Ukraine for similar attacks before?
Russia accused Ukraine in 2023 of bombing the Kremlin in what it said was an attempt to kill Putin. Ukraine has denied involvement in the incident and accused Russia of making excuses for the escalation of the war.
The New York Times newspaper later reported that American intelligence agencies believed that Ukrainian security forces carried out the attack, but it was not clear whether Zelenskiy or his senior officials were aware of the operation. Some officials believe that Zelenskiy does not know, reports.
Russia said on Monday it would retaliate and would review its stance on peace talks, although it said it was not giving up talks.
“The result of the communications will be to strengthen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation,” Peskov said on Tuesday. He did not say which targets Russia might hit but said the military knows when and how to respond.
