LONDON -- A high-ranking Russian official issued alarming personal threats against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, following Russia's claim that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's official residences. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that this drone attack targeted Putin's state residence in the Novgorod region during the night of December 29. Despite these serious claims, Lavrov provided no evidence to substantiate the assertion, which Zelenskyy quickly dismissed as a Russian disinformation campaign.
In a series of posts on social media platform X, former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, now serving on Russia's Security Council, accused Zelenskyy of attempting to sabotage ongoing U.S.-sponsored peace talks. Medvedev wrote, "He wants war. Well, now at least he'll have to stay in hiding for the rest of his worthless life." His posts reflected a particularly hawkish stance within Putin's security apparatus during this ongoing conflict.
Medvedev further suggested that Zelenskyy should be displayed in St. Petersburg after his anticipated demise, reinforcing the hostile rhetoric from Russian officials. Adding to the tension, Kiril Dmitriev, a Kremlin aide and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, questioned Zelenskyy’s future by asking, "Who is after Zelenskyy?" in a post to X.
The Kremlin communicated that U.S. President Donald Trump was informed of the alleged drone attack during a phone call with Putin on Monday. In response to the accusations, Russian officials threatened potential retaliatory strikes against Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Putin, confirmed to the state-run Tass news agency that Putin and Trump had discussed the incident, with Trump expressing surprise and anger over the allegations. "It's no good. It's no good," Trump stated to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
During the media briefing, Trump referenced his decision to withhold Tomahawk cruise missiles from Ukraine, stating, "I didn't want that." He emphasized the difference between offensive actions and an attack on a residential property, describing the latter as inappropriate amid ongoing tensions. When questioned about the validity of Putin's claims, Trump acknowledged, "It's possible it didn't happen," but reiterated that Putin had informed him of the attack.
In contrast, President Zelenskyy categorically rejected the Russian allegations, labeling them as yet another fabrication. He speculated that such statements from Russia were preparatory steps for potential strikes on Ukrainian state buildings, particularly targeting the capital. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed this sentiment, asserting on X that Russia has yet to provide any credible evidence supporting its claims about the alleged attack on Putin's residence. "And they won't," he stated emphatically, declaring that no such attack had occurred.
The implications of these latest developments remain uncertain, particularly concerning the ongoing peace negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that the alleged Ukrainian attack would lead to a hardening of Russia's negotiating stance, as reported by Tass. Peskov clarified that Russia is not withdrawing from the negotiation process, describing the allegations as an attempt to disrupt President Trump's efforts to broker a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
After recent discussions with Zelenskyy, which were preceded by phone calls between Trump and Putin, Trump noted that the negotiating teams are approaching a potential peace deal aimed at concluding Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, initiated in February 2022. Lavrov reiterated that Russia does not plan to abandon the negotiation process, although he mentioned that the targets and timing for potential retaliatory strikes have already been established.
On the operational front, Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched two missiles and 60 drones during the night from Monday into Tuesday morning. Of these, one missile and 52 drones were intercepted or neutralized. However, one missile and eight drones managed to strike five locations within Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that four Ukrainian drones were shot down over the Krasnodar region, where drone wreckage caused injuries and temporary flight restrictions were enacted at Krasnodar airport.
This escalating situation highlights the ongoing volatility in the region and raises questions about the future of peace negotiations amidst heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine.