Russia details failed Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s residence

The Russian Ministry of Defence has released details of a failed Ukrainian drone attack targeting President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region. 

According to Major General Alexander Romanenkov, head of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ surface-to-air missile troops, the drones were launched from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

Russian forces reportedly detected the attack at around 19:20 Moscow time on December 28. The Ukrainian military attempted to strike from multiple directions, including the Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver, and Novgorod regions. “During the anti-air engagement, all Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by Russian air defence forces,” Romanenkov said.

The attack was described as “targeted, carefully planned, and conducted in stages.” No casualties or damage were reported, and the residence itself was unharmed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also confirmed the attempted strike, stating that Ukrainian forces deployed 91 long-range drones. Of these, 49 were intercepted over Bryansk, one over Smolensk, and the remainder over Novgorod, the intended target.

Lavrov added that Russia would not withdraw from peace negotiations with the United States regarding Ukraine but would reconsider its position, warning that Kyiv’s actions would not go unanswered.

By Vugar Khalilov