Russia shows video of drone it says Ukraine fired at Putin residence

W460

Russia's defense ministry published a video Wednesday of a downed drone that it says Ukraine launched at President Vladimir Putin's residence in north-west Russia this week -- a claim Kyiv has denied as a "lie."

Russia has called it a "terrorist attack" and a "personal attack" against Putin, saying it will toughen its negotiation stance in Ukraine war talks.

Moscow made the allegation shortly after Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with US President Donald Trump in Florida and Kyiv has called it a "fabrication" intended to "manipulate" the peace process.

The European Union has also said the video was an attempt to "derail" peace efforts.

The video, shot at night in the dark, showed a damaged drone lying in snow in a forested area. The ministry said the alleged attack was "targeted, carefully planned and carried out in stages."

Russia has not said where Putin was at the time, saying the attack was launched on the night of December 28-29 at Putin's home in the Novgorod region. His residences are normally shrouded in secrecy.

The defense ministry said the attack started around 7:00 p.m. on December 28 and was a "mass" drone launch at Putin's residence, but said the longtime leader's home was not damaged.

It also published a video with a man it called a witness, saying he was a local villager from the settlement of Roshchino.

Comments 1
Thumb chrisrushlau 31 December 2025, 18:06

Lack of Evidence: Independent observers and local residents in Valdai
reported no sounds of explosions or drone activity during the timeframe of the alleged attack. Additionally, the Defense Ministry's initial daily drone tally (89 drones across eight regions) did not initially mention an attack on the residence until after Lavrov's announcement.