The presidential residence at Valdai in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region. Photo: East2West News
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Ukrainian forces of mounting a massive drone strike on one of Vladimir Putin’s official residences in northwestern Russia’s Novgorod region on Monday.
According to Lavrov, Ukrainian troops launched a total of 91 drones at the presidential residence at Valdai overnight on Sunday, though he added that all the drones were intercepted before they could reach their target.
Lavrov warned that “the Russian Federation’s negotiating position” would be revised “in light of the Kiev regime’s final transition to a policy of state terrorism”, though he added that Moscow had no immediate plans to step back from the current peace negotiations with the United States.
“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered. The targets for retaliatory strikes and the time of their delivery by the Russian Armed Forces have been determined,” Lavrov said.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied that Ukrainian forces had carried out the attack, writing on X that Russia was “at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team.”
“This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war. Typical Russian lies.”
