Zelensky rejected Moscow’s version of the “drone attack” on Putin’s residence and warned of a threat to Kyiv.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky publicly called the statements of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about an alleged attempt by Ukrainian Armed Forces drones to attack Vladimir Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region a lie. According to Zelensky, such formulations in Russian rhetoric are often used as “preparation of the ground” — to then justify strikes on the capital and government buildings in Kyiv.

Zelensky linked the emergence of this version with the international context of recent days and with the fact that Moscow, in his assessment, is trying to disrupt any progress in Ukraine’s contacts with the US and European partners. In Kyiv, they emphasize: when instead of conflict with allies, negotiation dynamics appear, the Kremlin looks for a reason to return pressure and fear to the agenda.

The Russian version, voiced by Lavrov, sounds different: he stated that on the night of December 29, Russian air defense allegedly “neutralized” 91 long-range drones, which, according to Moscow, tried to strike Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region. At the same time, the reports emphasized that there were no casualties or destruction, and no confirming evidence of this attack was publicly presented.

A separate signal — political: Lavrov announced the intention to “review” Russia’s negotiating position in light of this episode and simultaneously spoke of readiness for retaliatory strikes. That is, the story about the “attack on the residence” is presented as an argument for toughening Moscow’s line at a time when diplomatic contacts around the war have reactivated.

For the Israeli audience, not only the dispute over facts is important here, but also the mechanics of escalation: loud statements about drones are increasingly becoming part of the information war and justification for new strikes. Israel closely monitors how the role of drones and air defense is changing — from Ukraine to the Middle East — because these technologies already directly affect the region’s security and allies’ decisions. That is why such stories are read as a warning, not as “another exchange of words.”

How this round will end — the coming days will show: either the parties will try to maintain the negotiation track, or the media “story about the residence” will become a pretext for new strikes and further toughening. And for readers who care about the connection between international politics and regional security, this is exactly the case when the details of formulations may be no less important than the events themselves. NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency