Russia’s foreign minister said Moscow would alter its negotiating stance after what it claims was an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region.
Sergei Lavrov told Interfax that 91 long-range drones targeted the Valdai dacha and warned the actions would not go unanswered, though he did not say whether Putin was present and the claims could not be independently verified. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the accusation as a Kremlin fabrication meant to derail improving relations between Kyiv and Washington following his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
He argued that progress with the United States represents a failure for Moscow, which he said has no real interest in ending the war. Zelenskyy warned that Lavrov’s comments could signal preparations for further Russian strikes on civilians and government sites, including Kyiv. He also said talks with Trump produced 15-year US security guarantees and called on the US and Europe to engage more assertively with Russia to push toward peace. The Kremlin later said Putin raised the alleged attack in a call with Trump and that it prompted the tougher negotiating posture announced by Lavrov.
Meanwhile, Trump showed whose side he’s on by saying: “This is not the right time. One thing to be offensive, because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house,” Trump said, adding, “And I learned about it from President Putin today. I was very angry about it.” After adding that it may not have happened, the leader of the free world said: “But President Putin told me this morning it did.”
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