The Ministry of Defense reported that the action did not cause any victims or damage on Russian territory.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced this Wednesday (31), in the town of Valdai, that occurred between December 28th and 29th. “Between December 28 and 29, 2025, the Kiev regime attempted a terrorist attack with long-range unmanned aerial vehicles against the residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Novgorod region,” said the general responsible for anti-aircraft defense of the Russian Army, Alexander Romanenkov.
From different take-off points, a total of 91 drones flew towards the target, flying over the regions of Briansk, Smolensk, Tver and Novgorod, they report. In this way, 49 drones were destroyed over Bryansk, one in Smolensk and 41 in Novgorod.
Russian authorities claim that the first attacks took place on the 28th, around 7 pm (Moscow time), with drones that flew at low altitude and departed from the Ukrainian regions of Sumy and Chernigov.
“The attack formation, the number of assets used and their coordinated actions from the south, southwest and west, aimed directly at the residence of the Russian president in the Novgorod region, clearly confirm that the Kiev regime’s terrorist attack was selective and carefully planned,” Romanenkov said.
Defense reported that the attack did not cause any casualties or damage on Russian territory, and that “the residence of the Russian president was not damaged”.
Last Monday, Russian authorities began to denounce the Ukrainian attack and the Kremlin even classified it as “an attack against (US President Donald) Trump”, as it harmed the peace negotiations in Ukraine led by him.
Although he did not reveal how, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia would toughen its stance during peace talks.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, authorities in Kiev have reported more than a dozen assassination or kidnapping attempts against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, including one in the early days of the Russian invasion, when the army arrived in Ukraine’s capital and fighting broke out near the presidential administration.
This is the first time that the Russian side has reported an attack that could be directed against the Russian leader, who has strengthened his security since the beginning of the conflict. Countries such as Iran and Belarus condemned the attack on Putin’s residence, while members of the European Union, such as France, were skeptical and cited a lack of evidence.
Trump, who on the same weekend met with Zelensky and spoke by phone with Putin, publicly demonstrated his outrage upon hearing the news of the attack.
*With information from EFE
