Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday firmly denied allegations from Moscow claiming that Ukraine had launched an unmanned aerial attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s state residences. Zelensky said the accusations were part of Russia’s broader information strategy, aimed at destabilizing ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that Kyiv had deployed 91 long-range UAVs in an overnight operation targeting a government-managed property in the Novgorod region, northwest Russia. Russian officials later stated that all drones were intercepted by air-defense systems and that there were no public reports of injuries or structural impact.
Diplomatic Timing Raises Tension
The accusations surfaced shortly after high-level talks between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where both leaders discussed revisions to Ukraine’s peace framework. Zelensky has characterized the Kremlin’s claims as an attempt to create new obstacles in negotiations that could extend into 2026.
“These are the same patterns we’ve seen before — allegations used to influence the tone of diplomacy,” Zelensky said in a statement posted on social platform X, urging international voices to remain attentive to negotiation interference.
Russia confirmed it would review its negotiating posture, though officials stressed it would not fully withdraw from the diplomatic process involving the United States.
U.S. Reaction: No Confirmed Evidence Yet
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin shared details of the alleged incident during a call with Trump on Monday. Trump acknowledged receiving the report from Putin and said he was “frustrated” by the claims but also noted uncertainty.
When asked whether the U.S. had verified the information, Trump responded that no independent evidence had yet been confirmed by Washington, adding that more clarity could emerge in the coming weeks.
“It’s possible the incident happened as described, or it may not have occurred exactly that way,” Trump said, signaling that U.S. intelligence teams are continuing assessments.
Competing Nuclear and Security Issues Remain
The future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility in Ukraine and the status of territorial negotiations in Donbas remain unresolved in diplomacy. Zelensky said earlier that Ukraine’s security discussions with Washington could span 15 years of defense guarantees, and that progress on those points was close to alignment.
Russia currently controls large parts of Donbas, and has previously rejected several portions of Ukraine’s peace framework, according to earlier statements from Russian officials.
Ongoing Talks Toward 2026
Zelensky said there is “a realistic chance for negotiations to advance further next year,” but stressed that peace outcomes depend on multiple diplomatic, economic, and security agreements between involved nations.