Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claims that Putin's residence in the Novgorod region was attacked with 91 drones on Monday night. All the drones were shot down, he further claimed, according to state-controlled Tass.
Russia will therefore “reconsider its negotiating position,” Lavrov said, promising a Russian response to the alleged attack.
Undermining peace talks
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the Russian allegations as a “complete fabrication” aimed at undermining progress in peace talks between Ukraine and the United States. Russia is now planning new attacks, possibly against government buildings in Kyiv, Zelenskyy has warned.
"Typical Russian lies. Moreover, the Russians have already targeted Kyiv before, including the government building," Zelenskyy said in a statement on X.
US President Donald Trump had a "positive" conversation with Putin on Monday, according to the White House.
According to Putin's adviser Yuri Ushakov, Putin was "very clear" to Trump that a number of agreements discussed as part of the peace plan should now be "re-evaluated" by Russia, Tass reports.
"He said he was attacked. It's not good," President Donald Trump said at a press conference regarding the conversation with Putin.
When asked by a journalist whether it was possible that the attack did not take place, Trump replied that "that is also possible."
Putin: The war continues
Shortly before Lavrov's statement, Putin said in a televised meeting with senior military commanders that the war against Ukraine continues.
"The tasks of liberating Donbas, Zaporizhia and Kherson are being carried out in stages, in accordance with the plan of the 'special military operation,'" Putin said, referring to the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022.
Putin is ordering his forces to take over the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia, according to Tass.
