Russia on Wednesday published video proof of its claims, showing a downed drone that it says was launched by Ukraine at President Vladimir Putin’s residence in northwest Russia.
Moscow had alleged that
the attack took place on the night of December 28-29, with the drone being shot down in a forested area. However, Kyiv has strongly rejected the accusation, calling it a “lie” and labelling the claims as part of a Russian attempt to “manipulate” the peace process.
Downed UAV with a 6kg explosive charge — Russian MOD publishes VIDEO PROOF of Ukrainian attack on Putin’s residence
The attempt was carried out on the night of December 28 to 29
WATCH report by the unit who took down 41 of the 91 drones sent by Kiev https://t.co/J9Tgd8yAJx pic.twitter.com/b7Yv55OlxP
— RT (@RT_com) December 31, 2025
The video, released by Russia’s defence ministry, shows the damaged drone lying in snow. The ministry described the incident as a “targeted, carefully planned” attack that had been “carried out in stages.”
Russian officials have said the UAV was part of a mass drone launch aimed at Putin’s residence. However, they claimed that the home was not damaged during the attack, and the whereabouts of Putin during the alleged strike were not revealed.
The timing of Russia’s claims coincided with talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in Florida. Moscow’s accusations have been widely dismissed by Kyiv and other international observers, including the European Union, which has described the video as an attempt to derail peace efforts and negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
Moscow has called the alleged drone attack a “terrorist act” and a “personal attack” on President Putin. In response, Russia has stated that it will harden its stance in peace talks concerning the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin’s narrative is that the attack serves as justification for Moscow’s continued demands in negotiations, including the full seizure of Ukrainian territories it claims as Russian.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has also expressed scepticism over Russia’s claims. The ISW noted that there was no supporting footage or evidence typically associated with deep strikes from Ukrainian forces to back up the assertion that Putin’s residence had been targeted.
(With inputs from AFP)
