Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected Russian claims that Ukrainian drones attempted to attack a state residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the allegations false and deliberately timed. Speaking to Ukrainian journalists on Dec. 29, Zelensky described the accusations as fabrication and warned they are being used to justify potential Russian strikes, most likely against Kyiv.

“With this statement about an alleged attack on some residence, they are preparing the ground to strike, most likely the capital and government buildings,” Zelensky said.

Timing Linked to Ukraine-US Talks

According to Zelensky, the accusations emerged at a sensitive moment, as Ukraine and the United States are making progress on a revised peace framework. He said the timing was intentional and aimed at derailing diplomatic momentum.

“It’s obvious that yesterday we had a meeting with President Trump, and it’s clear that when there is no scandal for the Russians, when there is progress, it is a failure for them. They do not want to end this war and are only capable of doing so under pressure. So they are looking for a pretext,” the Ukrainian president added.

Zelensky later reiterated the same message, stressing that Russia reacts negatively whenever cooperation between Kyiv and Washington advances. “Another lie by Russia. Obviously, yesterday we had the meeting with Trump, and obviously for the Russians, if there is no quarrel between America and us, and we have progress instead, then that is a failure for them,” he said, warning that “they are simply preparing the ground to strike the capital, and probably government buildings at that.”

Russian Version and Threats of Retaliation

Earlier on Dec. 29, Russian officials claimed that Ukraine had launched a large-scale drone attack overnight on Putin’s residence in Russia’s Novgorod Oblast, reportedly near Valdai. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the attack involved 91 drones, all of which were allegedly intercepted by Russian air defense systems.

Lavrov stated that Russia would “revise its negotiating position,” while insisting that Moscow would not withdraw from talks with the United States on Ukraine. He accused Kyiv of what he described as “state terrorism” and said that both the targets and timing of retaliatory strikes had already been determined by Russian armed forces.

However, discrepancies emerged in the Russian accounts. Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that 89 drones were intercepted overnight, not 91. It also said that only 18 drones were shot down over Novgorod Oblast, with others allegedly intercepted over Bryansk and Smolensk oblasts.