Russia claims Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence with drones; warns of retaliation

Moscow: Russian Foreign ⁠Minister Sergei Lavrov ‌said on Monday that Ukraine had tried to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region and so Moscow's negotiating position ​would be reviewed.

Lavrov said that on December 28-29, Ukraine had attacked the Russian president's state residence in ‌the ‌Novgorod region with 91 long-range drones which were all destroyed ⁠by Russian air defences.

"Such reckless actions will not go unanswered," Lavrov said, adding that the attack amounted to "state ⁠terrorism."

He said that targets ⁠had already been selected for retaliatory ‌strikes by Russia's armed ‌forces.

Lavrov noted that the attack took place during negotiations about a possible Ukrainian peace deal ‍and that while Russia would not leave the negotiations, Moscow's position will be reviewed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the accusation was a lie, adding that Moscow was preparing the ground to strike government buildings in Kyiv.

It was ​not immediately clear ‌if Putin was in the residence at the time.