- Russia accuses Ukraine of a drone attack on Putin's residence, vowing severe retaliation.
- Ukraine's Zelensky denies the claim, calling it a fabrication to justify escalation.
- Russia warns it will revise its negotiation stance, citing alleged Ukrainian "state terrorism."
- The crisis follows promising Ukraine-U.S. talks, now jeopardizing fragile diplomatic progress.
- U.S. President Trump confirmed discussing the alleged attack with Putin, calling the timing wrong.
A major diplomatic crisis has erupted at a critical moment in the Ukraine war, with Russia alleging a direct drone attack on President Vladimir Putin's personal residence and vowing a severe military and political response. The accusation, fiercely denied by Kyiv, threatens to derail fragile peace negotiations and trigger a dangerous new phase of escalation, testing the resolve of all parties involved.
The incident reportedly occurred overnight into Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the Ukrainian military fired a barrage of 91 long-range "kamikaze drones" at Putin's state residence in the Novgorod Region. He claimed Russian air defenses destroyed all the unmanned aerial vehicles, resulting in no casualties or damage. Lavrov characterized this as a brazen act of "state terrorism."
Lavrov noted the attack came amid "intensive negotiations between Russia and the U.S." and warned that the "reckless actions" of Kyiv would not go unanswered. "The targets for retaliatory strikes and the timing of their implementation by the Russian armed forces have been determined," Lavrov stated, signaling imminent military retaliation.
A shift in negotiation posture
Beyond the threat of missiles, Moscow promised a diplomatic counterpunch. Lavrov declared that Russia would review its negotiating position. "Given the complete degeneration of the criminal Kiev regime, which has shifted to a policy of state terrorism, Russia's negotiating position will be revised," he said. He emphasized, however, that Russia did "not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process with the U.S."
The Kremlin reinforced this message directly to Washington. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said President Putin informed President Donald Trump of the alleged attack during a call on Monday. Ushakov said Trump was "shocked" and "angry" upon hearing the news. According to Ushakov, Putin made it clear that "Russia's position will be reviewed on a number of agreements reached at the previous stage."
Denials and accusations of pretext
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a forceful and immediate denial. He dismissed Russia's claim as "a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv." Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking a pretext to undermine the "progress" made in recent U.S.-Ukraine talks and to strike government buildings in the Ukrainian capital.
Zelensky's denial sets up a "he said, she said" scenario common in this conflict, where independent verification is nearly impossible. The White House confirmed Trump's call with Putin was "positive" concerning Ukraine, but offered no assessment of the attack's validity. When questioned by reporters, Trump acknowledged Putin told him of the attack and said he was "very angry about it." He added, "It's not the right time to do any of that."
The timing is indeed precarious. The allegation follows a lengthy meeting between Trump and Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, where both leaders suggested they were "very close" to a deal. Key territorial issues reportedly remained unresolved, but the dialogue was presented as active and progressing.
This new crisis throws a massive wrench into that delicate machinery. By framing the alleged drone strike as "state terrorism," Russia is attempting to morally and legally justify a hardened stance, both at the negotiating table and on the battlefield. It echoes historical patterns where disputed provocations have been used to legitimize sweeping military actions.
For the United States and Ukraine, the challenge is multifaceted. They must navigate the possibility of imminent Russian strikes while publicly challenging the narrative that could justify them. The situation puts significant pressure on U.S. diplomacy to either validate or debunk Moscow's claims to prevent a total collapse of talks.
With threats of retaliatory strikes looming and trust deteriorating, the window for diplomatic resolution may be rapidly closing, making the next moves by all parties potentially decisive.
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