Russia said it will take a tougher line in peace talks after accusing Ukraine of an attack on President Putin’s residence — a claim Kyiv denies and says lacks evidence. Moscow says it shot down 91 long‑range drones and warned of retaliation, while Kremlin officials said the incident will harden Russia’s negotiating stance. The episode threatens to unsettle U.S.-backed efforts to broker a deal after recent talks between President Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. Independent verification of the alleged attack remains limited.
Russia Vows Tougher Peace-Deal Stance After Alleged Drone Attack On Putin’s Residence
Russia announced on Tuesday that it will adopt a firmer negotiating position in talks to end its nearly four‑year war in Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of mounting an attack on a presidential residence — a claim Ukraine denies.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow had produced no evidence to support its allegation that an attack occurred early Monday at President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, adding: "Because there’s none." Sybiha wrote on the social platform X that "Russia has a long record of false claims — it’s their signature tactic."
Moscow says it shot down 91 long‑range drones that it alleges were used against the presidential residence. Kremlin officials have since warned of retaliation and said the incident will prompt a review and a hardening of Russia’s negotiating position on ending the war.
"This terrorist action is aimed at collapsing the negotiation process," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. "The diplomatic consequence will be to toughen the negotiating position of the Russian Federation." He added that Russia’s military knows how it would respond.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a day earlier that targets and timing for retaliatory strikes on Ukraine had been determined. Kyiv has strongly denied involvement and accused the Kremlin of inventing the incident to justify further attacks, including strikes on government infrastructure in Kyiv.
The dispute risks disrupting efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met for three hours at Mar‑a‑Lago days earlier and described talks as "very close"; the U.S. last month proposed a 28‑point framework, and Ukraine countered with a 20‑point plan.
On Monday, Trump said he had been informed of the alleged attack by Putin and that he "was very angry about it." U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said it remained "unclear" what actually occurred but added that it was "a little indelicate" for such an incident to occur at a critical moment in negotiations.
The broader context remains that Russia currently controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and has repeatedly demanded Kyiv cede lands Moscow first occupied in 2014. Ukraine maintains it will not surrender territory but has signaled some flexibility on security arrangements, including a possible demilitarized zone in parts of the Donbas.
Independent verification of the incident remains limited. Analysts say the allegations — and any subsequent retaliation — could significantly complicate diplomacy and raise the risk of renewed escalation.
