In a dramatic turn of events, Russia has accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack aimed at one of President Vladimir Putin's residences. However, this assertion has been swiftly dismissed by Kyiv.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the purported drone strike took place in the Novgorod region. He claimed this incident would lead to a reassessment of Russia's negotiating stance amidst the ongoing peace discussions intended to resolve the conflict stemming from Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov emphasized that while there were no reported damages or injuries from the alleged attack, the Russian military has already identified specific targets for potential retaliatory strikes.
Moreover, Lavrov boasted that Russian air defenses successfully intercepted 91 drones during this incident. Notably, he refrained from stating whether President Putin was present in Novgorod at the time of the attack. Despite the accusations, Lavrov made it clear that Russia has no plans to withdraw from the peace talks regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wasted no time in refuting Russia's claims, labeling them as "a complete fabrication." His swift rejection was particularly pointed, coming just a day after he had an almost three-hour meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida.
While the discussions did not lead to any significant breakthroughs, Zelensky noted that both leaders reached an understanding regarding a revised peace plan, which includes a commitment from the U.S. to guarantee Ukrainian security for a span of 15 years, with the possibility of extending these guarantees. "Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team. We keep working together to bring peace closer," Zelensky commented on X, emphasizing the importance of their continued collaboration.
In parallel developments, the White House revealed that Trump had a "positive call" with Putin regarding the situation in Ukraine that same morning; however, they have yet to provide a detailed account of the conversation.
This situation continues to evolve, and updates will follow as new information becomes available.
