POLITICO was unable to verify the details of the video.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed on Monday that the alleged attack involved over 90 long-range drones, warning that as a result, Moscow’s stance in U.S.-led peace talks would become more rigid.
Ukraine dismissed the claim, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denouncing it as “another lie from the Russian Federation” and accusing Moscow of staging a provocation to hinder diplomatic efforts. Residents of the nearby town of Valdai informed Russian independent media Mozhem Obyasnit that they heard no explosions or signs of an overnight attack.
Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service had earlier warned that Moscow was planning a disinformation operation to obstruct Zelenskyy’s discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump by blaming Ukraine for an alleged attack on Putin’s residence without presenting credible evidence.
Western officials also expressed doubt. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Moscow of spreading “unfounded claims,” describing the alleged attack as a “deliberate distraction” aimed at derailing genuine progress towards peace by Ukraine and its Western allies.
U.S. officials remained cautious, with Washington’s ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, stating on Tuesday that it was uncertain if the incident had occurred. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the reports after speaking with Putin on Monday but admitted their truthfulness had yet to be established.
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