Russia, Ukraine spar over alleged attack on Putin’s presidential residence

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed accusations that his country’s military intentionally targeted the presidential residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, asserting that Moscow was using the incident to sabotage the peace process.

 

 

Mr. Putin’s residence in the Russian city of Novgorod was reportedly attacked by a Ukrainian drone on Sunday, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Monday. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine fired 91 drones at Mr. Putin’s residence, all of which were shot down.

 

 

He added that Russia would be amending its position on peace negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S. because of the strike. Mr. Lavrov did not provide any concrete proof of the alleged attack.

 

 

Mr. Zelenskyy denied the accusations leveled by Moscow, calling them a “false justification” to launch further strikes on Ukrainian government buildings and to torpedo the peace process.

 

 

“They do not want to finish this war,” he said Monday. “It is clear that we had a meeting with Trump yesterday, and it is clear that for the Russians, if there is no scandal between us and America, and we are making progress. For them it is a failure, because they do not want to end this war.”

Mr. Putin informed Mr. Trump of the alleged attack during a phone call on Monday shortly before Mr. Trump met with Mr. Zelenskyy 

Speaking ahead of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Mr. Trump said it was possible that the allegation could be false, but confirmed that Mr. Putin told him about the attack.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Ushakov told state-affiliated media on Monday that Mr. Trump was “shocked” by the attacks and that Mr. Putin said Russia would be reevaluating its position on the peace process. 

News of the attack comes one day after the high-stakes meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy in Mar-a-Lago, where the two discussed the status of the Ukraine-Russia peace process. Mr. Trump said the talks were productive and that they were “getting a lot closer” to a final deal. 

Following the meeting, Mr. Zelenskyy said the U.S. would offer Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee as part of the broader peace framework. That promise would be far below the 50-year guarantee that Mr. Zelenskyy has said he wants, which he says would further deter Russia from invading his country again.

Mr. Trump also said that he expects Europe to play a role in Ukraine’s post-war defense, which may include sending troops. 

Russia has strongly resisted the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine during previous peace negotiations. 

Other important issues, notably territorial concessions, remain outstanding. Russia has insisted that Ukraine give up all of the contested territory in the east and allow for the creation of a demilitarized zone, both of which have been difficult for Kyiv to swallow.

Mr. Putin also ramped up Russia’s territorial ambitions on Monday, urging the army to take full control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. Russian troops currently control more than 75% of the territory and are one of the main territories claimed by Moscow, including the Donbas and Kherson regions. 

Mr. Zelenskyy has maintained that Russia’s recent military and diplomatic moves indicate that Moscow is not interested in peace.

“I don’t see it because, first of all, I don’t hear it. Publicly, his messages he doesn’t speak about peace. He says that he can go further. It’s not the signals of peace,” Mr. Zelenskyy told Fox News’ Bret Baier on Monday.