US national security officials have concluded that Ukraine was not responsible for any attempt to target Russian President Vladimir Putin or his residence, contradicting claims made by Moscow earlier this week, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The assessment, which was based on a review conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency, found no evidence to support Russia’s allegation that a Ukrainian drone strike had been aimed at Putin or any of his properties.
Russia had claimed on Monday that Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on one of Putin’s residences in the Novgorod region, asserting that as many as 91 long-range drones were involved in the operation. Ukrainian authorities categorically denied the accusation, calling it false. The US review, cited by the Wall Street Journal, stated that available intelligence did not indicate any attempt to strike Putin or his residence, undermining Moscow’s narrative and suggesting the claim was unfounded.
US President Donald Trump initially reacted cautiously to the allegation. Speaking to reporters, he said that Putin had personally informed him about the supposed attack and described the Russian leader as being “very angry” over the incident. At the same time, Trump acknowledged that the claim might not be accurate, adding that while aggressive military actions were one thing, an attack on a leader’s residence would be a serious escalation and poorly timed. A day later, Trump shared a New York Post editorial on social media accusing Russia of standing in the way of peace efforts, signaling a shift in tone.
Ukrainian officials have dismissed the accusations as part of a disinformation campaign designed to strain relations between Kyiv and Washington. They argued that the timing of the claims was suspicious, coming shortly after Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which both sides described as constructive and positive. European officials also expressed skepticism about Russia’s version of events, aligning with the US assessment that no such attack had taken place.
Despite growing international pushback, Russian authorities have continued to stand by their claims. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that Ukraine had attempted to strike Putin’s residence and warned that Moscow might reconsider its approach to negotiations as a result. Russia’s defence ministry later released video footage that it said showed debris from a downed Ukrainian drone. A senior military official claimed the device was a Chaklun-V drone carrying a six-kilogram explosive that failed to detonate.
Ukraine rejected the footage as misleading and reiterated that no such attack had occurred. Officials in the Novgorod region had earlier confirmed that air defence systems were activated in response to unidentified drones, but they did not link the incident to any attempt on Putin’s life. Kyiv maintains that Russia’s claims are exaggerated and politically motivated, aimed at shaping international opinion and justifying a harder stance in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
