Kremlin's Accusations and Ukraine's Reaction
The Kremlin accused Ukraine of attempting to attack Vladimir Putin's residence using 91 drones. The statement about this attack was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov. The attack supposedly took place on the night of December 29. However, despite the seriousness of the accusations, Russia has provided no evidence to substantiate the claim of an attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called these accusations absurd. He noted that the Kremlin's statements about an attack on the residence prepare the ground for possible strikes on the capital of Ukraine and government buildings. At the same time, local residents reported seeing no signs of an air raid.
One of the residents of Valdai noted: 'That night there was no noise at all, nothing. If something like that had happened, the entire city would have talked about it.'
Expert Assessments and International Reaction
Moreover, experts, including the Institute for the Study of War, believe that the Kremlin is using this situation to justify its refusal of peace proposals. The U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Vitaker, also questioned Russia's statement. In his communication, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin reported an alleged attack by a Ukrainian drone on one of his residences, which raised further questions about the truth of Russia's accusations.
This situation underscores the tension in relations between Ukraine and Russia that has been ongoing for several years. The Kremlin's statements about attacks may be an attempt to destabilize the situation and justify military actions against Ukraine. The lack of evidence and skepticism from international observers indicate possible manipulation of information by Russia in the context of the war.