Peace Hopes Falter as Russia Accuses Ukraine of Attempted Attack on Putin Residence
GeokHub
Contributing Writer
MOSCOW/KYIV | Dec 29 (GeokHub) Hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war in Ukraine were dealt a fresh setback on Monday after Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence, an allegation Kyiv strongly denied and described as a fabrication aimed at derailing peace talks.
The Kremlin said it was reassessing its negotiating stance following what Russian officials described as a drone attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region of northern Russia. No evidence was provided to support the claim, and Ukrainian officials dismissed the accusation as baseless.
The exchange followed high-level diplomacy over the weekend, including a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, where both leaders said progress had been made toward a possible peace agreement — though major territorial disputes remain unresolved.
Trump Says Putin Raised Alleged Attack in Phone Call
Trump said Putin informed him of the alleged attack during a phone call on Monday morning, prompting an angry reaction from the U.S. president.
“It’s one thing to be offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house,” Trump told reporters in Florida. “It’s not the right time to do any of that. I was very angry about it.”
Trump added that he had no independent confirmation of the claim and said U.S. intelligence agencies would assess the situation. Despite the dispute, he described the call with Putin as “productive” and maintained that peace talks were close to resolution.
Russia Threatens Response, Kyiv Denies Involvement
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that Ukraine launched 91 long-range drones at Putin’s residence over December 28–29, all of which were intercepted by air defenses. He described the alleged operation as “state terrorism” and warned it would not go unanswered.
Lavrov did not provide evidence for the claim, and it was unclear whether Putin was present at the location at the time.
Zelenskiy rejected the accusation outright, saying Russia was laying the groundwork for further attacks on Ukraine.
“Another round of lies from the Russian Federation,” Zelenskiy said. “If there is progress between Ukraine and the United States, it is a failure for Russia because they do not want this war to end.”
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said the accusation was intended to justify new Russian strikes and undermine diplomatic momentum.
Territorial Disputes Remain Central Obstacle
Despite diplomatic efforts, territorial issues continue to block progress. Russia reiterated demands for Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining parts of the Donbas region and pressed its military to intensify operations in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Putin instructed his generals to push forward in Zaporizhzhia, where Russian forces already control roughly 75% of the region. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, insist any peace must freeze fighting along current front lines.
Zelenskiy said two issues remain unresolved in a proposed 20-point peace framework: control of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the future of Donbas. He also said he had requested long-term security guarantees from Washington, potentially lasting up to 50 years.
Russia occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014 — territory that remains internationally recognized as Ukrainian.
