Russia claims Ukraine attacked Putin’s residence, Kyiv denies allegations

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday claimed that Ukraine had attempted to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence in northern Russia, saying Moscow would review its negotiating position.

According to Lavrov, the presidential residence in the Novgorod region was targeted overnight by 91 long-range drones, all of which were destroyed by Russian air defences. He added that no casualties or damage were reported.

Lavrov called the alleged strike “state terrorism”, warning that retaliatory targets had already been selected. He said the incident occurred during ongoing negotiations over a potential Ukrainian peace deal, and while Russia would continue talks, its stance would be reassessed. It was unclear whether Putin was at the Dolgiye Borody (Long Beards) residence, a property historically used by Stalin, Khrushchev, Yeltsin, and Putin.

Kyiv rejects Russian claims

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed the allegations as “another round of lies”, saying Moscow was using such claims to undermine progress in Ukraine-US peace talks. Zelenskiy accused Russia of preparing the ground to strike government buildings in Kyiv and called on U.S. President Donald Trump to respond to the threats.

Meanwhile, Putin on Monday ordered the Russian military to advance in Zaporizhzhia, with a Russian commander stating that forces were about 15 km from the region’s largest city.

Sadiq Khan