Alleged Ukrainian drone strike on Putin's Valdai residence

Recent claims emerged that Ukraine carried out a major drone strike targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence near Valdai, but the allegations remain unverified and have been widely disputed. On December 29, Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, asserted that dozens of Ukrainian long-range drones were shot down over the Novgorod region while allegedly heading toward Putin’s private residence, calling it a serious escalation in the conflict. Moscow also published maps and footage it said showed downed unmanned aerial vehicles linked to the incident. Kyiv firmly denied the accusation, with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian officials describing the claim as false and potentially part of an information campaign to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and justify further strikes against Ukraine. Western governments, including the United States and European Union representatives, also dismissed the attack narrative, stating there is no credible evidence that Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence and noting that independent sources have found no verifiable proof of such a strike. A U.S. intelligence assessment reportedly concluded that Ukraine did not launch an attack on the president’s home, and local residents in Valdai reported no signs of drone activity. Given the conflicting accounts and lack of independent verification, the alleged Ukrainian drone strike on Putin’s Valdai residence remains unconfirmed, with many analysts viewing it as part of the broader information dynamics surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war rather than a confirmed military event.