Drone Near Putin’s Home? Russia Claims Attack, Ukraine Calls It A Lie; Peace Talks Hang In Balance

Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s presidential residences, an allegation that has triggered political reactions and tension around ongoing peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine.

Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack aimed at a presidential site in the Novgorod region of northwestern Russia. Russian air defenses, according to him, intercepted 91 drones overnight, preventing damage or casualties. He described the incident as serious enough to force Moscow to reassess its position in negotiation, which is focussed on ending the war, Reuters reported.

The minister stated that the Russian military has already identified targets for retaliatory strikes, warning that such actions would not go unanswered. He called the alleged attack an act of “state terrorism” and said it occurred at a time when diplomatic discussions were underway.

The location referenced by Russian officials appears to be the heavily guarded Valdai presidential residence, which is situated near Lake Valdai in Novgorod Oblast. The compound has long served as a retreat for Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin and past Soviet and Russian presidents. Russian officials did not claim that Putin was present at the site during the incident.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the accusation outright, calling it “a complete fabrication” and accusing Moscow of manipulating the narrative to derail diplomatic momentum. He said the claim surfaced just one day after his nearly three-hour meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida.

Although that meeting did not deliver a dramatic breakthrough, Zelensky said both sides agreed on a revised peace framework that includes a US security guarantee for Ukraine lasting 15 years, with the option of extending it further. He argued that Russia’s allegation was aimed at weakening those diplomatic efforts.

“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,” he wrote in a post on X.

Minister Lavrov said Russia has no plans to abandon negotiations, even as it reviews its position. He said Moscow considers the alleged drone attack a major escalation that requires a response, while still keeping diplomatic channels open.

The issue was raised directly between Moscow and Washington. Putin informed Trump about the alleged drone attack during a phone call on Monday, according to Russian state radio.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin told Trump that Russia was reassessing its peace posture as a result of the incident.

Russian media reported that Trump was “shocked” and “outraged” after hearing Putin’s account of the alleged attack. The White House described Trump’s call with Putin as “positive”, though it declined to release details of the conversation.

The exchange took place as fighting continued on the ground. On the same day, Putin instructed Russian forces to intensify operations to secure full control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, following a briefing from a Russian commander who said troops were about 15 kilometres from the region’s largest city.

As diplomatic maneuvering and battlefield developments move in parallel, the drone allegation has added a new layer of volatility to an already fragile peace process, with both Moscow and Kyiv disputing the narrative and the intent behind it.