The Kremlin has still not provided any evidence to support its claims that Ukrainian drones targeted the residence of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on the night of December 29, and has even denied the need to provide such evidence. This is stated in a material by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reported by UNN.
Details
Analysts refer to a statement by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to whom "no evidence is needed" of a massive Ukrainian drone attack aimed at Putin's residence. In particular, Peskov responded to an additional question about whether the drone attack left any debris that could serve as evidence, stating that he "cannot answer" and that the Russian military should answer this question.
The Kremlin appears to be trying to correct some inconsistencies in its previous statements regarding the alleged strikes on December 28-29. ... Valdai is located approximately 210 kilometers from the border with the Smolensk region and approximately 435 kilometers from the border with the Bryansk region. The Bryansk and Smolensk regions contain legitimate military and defense-industrial targets that Ukraine could likely attack on the night of December 28-29, and Ukraine has already struck targets in the Bryansk and Smolensk regions before. Any instance of Ukrainian drones flying in the airspace of the Bryansk and Smolensk regions, therefore, does not necessarily mean that the drones were heading towards the Novgorod region.
They add that they have not yet found any footage or reports, which usually follow deep strikes by Ukraine, to confirm the Kremlin's claims of Ukrainian strikes threatening Putin's residence in the Novgorod region.
"Russian and Western sources continue to report counter-signs of a deep Ukrainian strike aimed at the Novgorod region. Russian opposition and insider sources reported that residents of Valdai and surrounding areas did not hear or observe the sounds of drones operating or air defense activation, which, as residents reported, they usually hear, even during previous Ukrainian strikes far from Valdai itself," the analysts summarize.
Context
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Ukraine allegedly attacked the state residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Novgorod region, and also threatened that Moscow would revise its negotiating position.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the alleged attack by Ukraine on the residence of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin a lie, noting that in this way Russia is preparing strikes on Kyiv and government buildings.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, in a conversation with US President Donald Trump, informed the American leader about a drone attack on his residence in the Novgorod region. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Trump "was shocked" by the news.
US President Donald Trump stated that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin told him about the attack on his residence, noting that he did not like it.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, refused to provide evidence of an attack on the Russian leader's residence using UAVs.