Russia hands to US what it says is proof of attempted Ukrainian strike on Putin residence
- It said Russia would review its negotiating position in ongoing talks with the U.S. on ending the Ukraine war
MOSCOW: A senior Russian military chief handed to a US military attache on Thursday what he said was part of a Ukrainian drone containing data he said proved that the Ukrainian military this week had targeted a Russian presidential residence.
Moscow accused Kyiv on Monday of trying to strike a residence of President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s northern Novgorod region with 91 long-range attack drones.
It said Russia would review its negotiating position in ongoing talks with the U.S. on ending the Ukraine war.
Ukraine and Western countries have disputed Russia’s account of the alleged attempted strike.
A video posted on the Russian Defence Ministry’s Telegram channel showed Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, handing to the US attache what he described as the controlling mechanism of a drone found among downed fragments.
“The decryption of the content of the memory of the navigation controller of the drones carried out by specialists of Russia’s special services confirms without question that the target of the attack was the complex of buildings of the Russian president’s residence in Novgorod region,” Kostyukov said.
“We presume that this measure will do away with any questions and allow for the truth to be established.”
The Ministry had earlier posted a statement on Telegram saying its findings would be turned over to the United States.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that U.S. national security officials had found Ukraine did not target Putin or one of his residences in a drone strike. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Russia accuses Ukraine of killing 24 people in New Year drone strike
U.S. President Donald Trump initially expressed sympathy for the Russian charge, telling reporters on Monday that Putin had informed him of the alleged incident and that he was “very angry” about it.
By Wednesday, Trump appeared more sceptical, sharing on social media a New York Post editorial accusing Russia of blocking peace in Ukraine.
Ukraine has denied carrying out such an attack and described the accusation as part of a Russian disinformation campaign meant to drive a wedge between Kyiv and Washington after a weekend meeting between Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
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