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US denies Russia's claim of Ukraine's drone attack on Putin's residence: Report
Russian on Monday alleged that Ukraine had tried to attack Putin's residence in the northern Novgorod region with dozens of drones.
The US administration has reportedly denied Moscow's allegations of Ukraine being behind the attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence. According to the Wall Street Journal, the conclusion is supported by a Central Intelligence Agency assessment that found no attempted attack against Putin had occurred.
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Ukraine was looking to strike a military target that it had hit before, located in the same region as Putin’s country residence but not close by, the report quoted a US official as saying.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday alleged that Ukraine had tried to attack Putin's residence in the northern Novgorod region with dozens of drones, adding that Moscow would review its negotiating position as a result. The incident threatens to disrupt US-led peace negotiations.
Soon after the reports, President Donald Trump had expressed sympathy for the Russian side saying that he was "very angry" about the incident. However, the President has reportedly grown skeptical as he on Wednesday shared an editorial critical of Russia on his social media. Trump reposted the editorial after he was briefed on Putin's allegations by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Reuters reported.
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Moscow's allegations have also been rejected by Ukrainian and European officials, per report.
Ukraine termed Moscow's claims of attack on Putin's residence as a Russian disinformation campaign meant to drive a wedge between Kyiv and Washington after a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
On Wednesday, Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, called Russia's claims "a deliberate distraction."
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"No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine's infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war," she wrote on X.
Her comments came after Ukraine distributed a a detailed briefing paper that Ukraine distributed to European Union delegations on Tuesday as Kyiv alleged the Russian allegations were designed to "sabotage" agreements made during the South Florida meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy, Reuters reported.
Backing its claims of Ukraine attack on Putin's residence, Russia on Wednesday released footage of a downed drone.
The video, shot at night, was published by Russia's defence ministry, AFP news agency reported, and allegedly showed the damaged drone which targeted Putin's residence in north-west Russia this week, lying amid snow in a forested area.
