Did Ukraine try to kill Putin? Russia gives more details about alleged drone attack

Did Ukraine try to kill Putin at his residence? As Ukraine denied any involvement, Russia on Wednesday (Dec 31) gave “details” of a drone attack that it said targeted the president. Russia’s Defence Ministry held a press briefing showing animated maps of “the attack”, along with photos of snow-covered debris presented as alleged remnants of the drones. The briefing claimed Ukrainian drone flights from Sumy and Chernihiv towards Putin’s Valdai residence.

Attack on Putin’s residence: What is Russia saying?

The Russian Defence Ministry’s Major General Aleksander Romanenkov gave details of an alleged Ukrainian drone attack targeting President Putin’s Valdai residence in Novgorod Oblast. He claimed that Ukraine launched 91 long-range drones from the Sumy and Chernihiv regions on the night of December 28–29. According to him, the drones flew over the Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver, and Novgorod regions, specifically targeting the presidential residence. He said Russian air defences intercepted all the drones — 50 over Bryansk and Smolensk, which are hundreds of kilometres away, and 41 over Novgorod.

There were no casualties or damage to the Putin residence. The ministry also released a map of the purported drone flight paths and video footage of a downed drone in a snowy forest, without providing exact details.

Earlier, on December 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the alleged attack “state terrorism”. Russia is framing the incident as a retaliatory strike.

‘Attack’ on Putin’s residence: What is Ukraine saying?

Ukraine has rejected the claims, with President Volodymyr Zelensky describing them as “typical Russian lies” aimed at sabotaging recent diplomatic progress following his talks with US President Donald Trump to end the war with Russia.

He said the claim was a pretext for further Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities or government buildings.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia had provided “no plausible evidence” for the attack, adding that “no such attack happened."