Ukrainian and European Officials Deny Strikes on Putin’s Private Residence

Ukrainian and European officials have denied an end-of-year mission to target the private residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin during the overnight hours between Dec. 28 and Dec. 29.

“This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a Dec. 29 post on X.

The alleged strike happened hours after U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Zelenskyy to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss a 20-point plan to end the years-long war with Russia.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to undermine progress in peace talks, which had been pushed forward on Sunday.

“Furthermore, the Russians have already targeted Kyiv in the past, including the Cabinet of Ministers building,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump reacted to the allegations that Ukraine targeted Putin’s private residence when a reporter asked him on Dec. 29 after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he met in Florida to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip and continued security threats within the region around Israel.

“I don’t know about it, no. That would be too bad, that would not be good,” Trump said regarding the alleged strike.

Trump said a couple of “thorny” issues need to be resolved before achieving peace between Russia and Ukraine.

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas also denied Russia’s claims about an attack on Putin’s residence.

“Russia’s claim that Ukraine recently targeted key government sites in Russia is a deliberate distraction,” Kallas wrote in an X post on Dec. 31.

“Moscow aims to derail real progress towards peace between Ukraine and its Western partners. No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged on Dec. 29 that Ukraine launched dozens of drones at Putin’s home in the Novgorod region, located in the western part of the country just south of St. Petersburg.

Lavrov said all unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed by air defense systems, and no casualties or damage were reported.

“The attack was carried out during the intensive talks to settle the Ukrainian conflict between Russia and the U.S.,” Lavrov wrote.

​“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered. The Armed Forces of Russia have already selected targets and the timing for retaliatory strikes.”