Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of attempting to attack President Vladimir Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region, a charge Kyiv swiftly rejected as “another round of lies” aimed at justifying fresh strikes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine had launched 91 long-range drones at the residence on December 28–29, claiming air defences intercepted all.
Describing the alleged strike as “state terrorism”, Lavrov warned that Moscow’s negotiating position would now be reviewed and that targets for retaliation had already been selected.
“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” Lavrov said, adding that the incident took place during ongoing discussions over a possible peace settlement.
While insisting Russia would not abandon negotiations, he indicated that Moscow’s stance could harden in response.
It was not immediately clear whether President Vladimir Putin was present at the residence at the time of the alleged attack.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy strongly denied the accusation, saying Russia was fabricating claims to derail diplomatic efforts.
Speaking via WhatsApp, Zelenskiy said Moscow was preparing the ground to strike Ukrainian government buildings in Kyiv and was seeking to undermine progress in Ukraine–US talks.
He urged US President Donald Trump to respond to what he described as escalating Russian threats.
Adding to the tensions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko claimed that Britain had a role in what he termed Ukraine’s latest “provocations” aimed at disrupting the peace process, according to state news agency TASS.
The sharp exchange underscores growing fragility around diplomatic efforts, with both sides accusing the other of escalation as the war drags on into another winter.