He looked satisfied with him. A few hours later, however, came his claim that the against his residence. The critical question is one: who benefits from this narrative?
Certainly not Kiev, given that Trump said Monday that he was briefed on the alleged attack directly by the Russian president, adding that “. “It’s a delicate period of time,” he said, emphasizing that “it’s one thing to be aggressive and another to attack someone’s home. This is not the right time for such a thing.”
According to a Wall Street Journal report, reversing the positive climate between Trump and Zelensky could be exactly what the Kremlin was seeking. The Ukrainian president said on Monday that the story of a “hit on the residence” was “completely fabricated”.
Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team. We keep working together to bring peace closer.
This alleged “residence strike” story is a complete fabrication intended to justify…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa)
Moscow claimed there was no damage or casualties as Russian air defenses shot down all 91 drones allegedly headed for Putin’s residence. At the same time, he announced retaliation against Ukraine and made it clear that, due to the alleged attack, “Russia’s negotiating position will be reviewed,” as the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Telegram.
Shadows and questions
However, there are reasons to doubt the Russian claim. As Grace Mapes of the Institute for the Study of War points out, when Ukraine strikes targets deep inside Russia, there are usually reports from civilians and authorities, videos from drones or the activation of anti-aircraft systems, as well as images — often geolocated — of explosions, smoke or fires.
As of Monday, however, “none of this has been recorded in connection with the alleged attack on Putin’s residence,” he noted.
NEW: The Kremlin accused Ukraine of conducting a long-range drone strike targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Novgorod Oblast on December 29. 🧵(1/3)
The circumstances of this alleged strike do not conform to the pattern of observed evidence when Ukrainian…
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)
At the same time, Russia has repeatedly attempted to target Zelensky himself, even outside of Ukrainian territory. In September, a Russian cruise missile hit the Cabinet building in Kyiv.
Despite this, the Ukrainian president continues to declare his willingness to negotiate an end to the war. Instead, Putin insists he will not halt operations unless all Russian demands are met.
The big gamble for the Kremlin is how it will reject Trump’s peace initiatives while portraying Ukraine as the culprit. And here, the timing of this story only coincidental does not seem.
