Russia has accused Ukraine of shelling Vladimir Putin’s residence. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, more than 90 Ukrainian drones allegedly flew toward targets in the Nizhny Novgorod region and were all shot down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called these accusations completely fabricated.
This disinformation campaign serves two key purposes. First, it aims to undermine any potential negotiation process, one in which Russia is not genuinely interested, while portraying Ukraine as the side sabotaging diplomatic efforts. Second, it creates a pretext to justify planned Russian attacks on Ukrainian government buildings.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he knew nothing about Ukraine’s alleged attack on Putin’s residence. He said he would “look into the circumstances.” He added that Putin had informed him of the incident and claimed that that is good that he had “stopped the Tomahawks”.
Attacks on Ukraine’s Government and Threats to Zelenskyy
Russia has already attacked Ukrainian governmental infrastructure. During a nighttime strike on Kyiv on September 7, 2025, a missile with a 450-kilogram warhead hit the Cabinet of Ministers building. Although the warhead did not detonate, fuel from the missile ignited, causing a fire on the upper floors. This is only the most prominent example: throughout the full-scale invasion, Russian strikes have damaged city councils, consulates, regional administrations, and other state institutions.
Moreover, Russia has repeatedly attempted to assassinate President Zelenskyy. In April 2024, a Polish citizen and retired military officer attempted to kill Zelenskyy at Rzeszów airport; according to the Security Service of Ukraine, he was recruited by Russian intelligence. In May 2024, Ukraine’s Security Service detained two more Russian agents planning a similar attack.
On December 1, 2025, four unidentified drones were detected along the flight route of Zelenskyy’s plane to Ireland. This is the latest suspicious activity and provocation, targeted at Ukraine’s President.
Drones Over the Kremlin
This is not the first time Russia has claimed drone attacks on Putin-related locations. On May 3, 2023, Russian authorities reported that two drones exploded above the Kremlin’s Senate Palace dome, blaming Kyiv. Ukraine denied any involvement. At the time, Moscow again spoke of “red lines” and the alleged necessity of striking Zelenskyy’s residence. However, back then, nothing fundamentally changed. The war continued exactly as Russia had chosen to wage it, regardless of Ukraine’s or so-called “Ukraine’s” actions.
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Conclusion
The U.S. response suggests a willingness to accept even the simplest Russian manipulations. No evidence of the alleged attack on Putin’s residence has been presented — only media reports and Putin’s own claims. When asked whether Russia had provided proof, Trump replied that he was still examining the issue. What remains clear is that Russia continues to stage various provocations, while the U.S. appears willing to treat these narratives as credible arguments.
