Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Monday alleged that Ukraine carried out a drone attack overnight on President Vladimir Putin's residence between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the claim as a "typical Russian lie," to justify fresh strikes on Kyiv.
Lavrov said that 91 drones were intercepted and brought down at Putin's "official residence" in the Novgorod region.
As a result of the alleged attack, Lavrov said, "Russia's negotiating position will be revised" in the ongoing peace talks seeking to end Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He added that there was no damage or casualties resulting from the incident, adding that Russia had chosen targets in Ukraine for "retaliation strikes."
Zelensky said that the claim "undermined" his shared efforts with US President Donald Trump to end an almost four years long war.
"Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump's team," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
He added, "This alleged "residence strike" story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia's own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war. Typical Russian lies."
"Everyone needs to be alert now, absolutely everyone. A strike on the capital may be carried out, especially since this person (Putin)... said they will choose corresponding targets," Zelensky said, referring to Lavrov's announcement of retaliatory strikes against Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Trump said he had a 'positive' call with Putin, day after he met Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Putin told Trump that Russia would review its position in peace negotiations after the alleged Ukrainian drone attack on his presidential residence, news agency Reuters reported.
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said that Putin was briefed by Trump and his senior advisers about the negotiations with Ukraine.
"President Trump has concluded a positive call with President Putin concerning Ukraine," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X. Trump and Putin had also spoken on call hours before the US President's meeting with Zelensky on Sunday.
After the meeting, Trump insisted that peace negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war were "closer than ever before."
Territory Main Sticking Point
During talks with Zelensky, Trump offered Kyiv long-sought-after security guarantees for a period of 15 years, according to Kyiv.
But the issue of territory and the future of the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine remain unresolved, Zelensky said.
Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv was ready for "any" format of meetings -- including with Putin if necessary -- but said he still did not think the Kremlin chief wanted peace.
The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and establish a demilitarised area.
But the Kremlin has shown no sign of compromise.
Putin said Monday that Russia was pressing ahead with its plan to capture four Ukrainian regions it announced the annexation of in 2022 and that his troops were "confidently advancing".
Moscow on Monday said it took another village, Dibrova, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
(With inputs from AFP)
