Trump rubbishes Kremlin’s drone attack claim

WorldPolitics
5 Jan 2026 • 3:41 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • President Trump announced that US officials concluded Ukraine did not target President Putin's residence in a drone attack last week, directly refuting earlier Kremlin claims.
  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had asserted that Ukraine launched drones at Mr Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region, claiming Russian defence systems thwarted the assault.
  • Mr Lavrov's allegation followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Florida for talks with Trump regarding a peace plan for the conflict.
  • Initially, Trump expressed 'considerable concern' and 'anger' over the Russian allegations, which he had discussed with Mr Putin.
  • However, US officials determined that while 'something happened nearby', Mr Putin's residence was not directly targeted, leading Trump to dismiss the Kremlin's claim.

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