Russia Accuses Ukraine of Attempting to Kill Putin in Kremlin 'Drone Attack'

Facts

• Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of launching an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin residence, stating: "We consider these actions to be a planned terrorist attack and attempt on the life of the President."¹
• The statement from Russia's presidential press service said: "Two unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the Kremlin. Timely action by the military and special services involving radar systems enabled them to disable the devices. They crashed in the Kremlin grounds, scattering fragments without causing any casualties or damage."²
• It added that Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin was unhurt and that his work schedule remains unaffected. Nonetheless, it said: "Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures wherever and whenever it deems appropriate."²
• Video circulated on social media showed what appeared to be a drone striking the Kremlin, sparking a blast as it struck the mast of an unspecified building's dome.³
• Ukrainian officials have denied any involvement in the attacks. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told Reuters: "Of course, Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin. We do not attack the Kremlin because, first of all, it does not resolve any military tasks."⁴
• Zelenskyy's office also released a statement. It said: "We have no information about the so-called overnight attack on the Kremlin. However, as Pres. Zelenskyy has said on numerous occasions, Ukraine is deploying all of its forces and capabilities to liberate its own territories, rather than attack the territories of another country."⁵
• Last week, a report in the German publication Bild accused the Ukrainian secret service of attempting to assassinate Putin in an earlier drone attack that reportedly crashed 12 miles (19 km) away from where Putin was due to appear.⁶

Sources: ¹POLITICO, ²President of Russia, ³Ukrainska Pravda (a), ⁴MarketScreener, ⁵Ukrainska Pravda (b), and ⁶New York Post.

Narratives

• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. This was a Ukrainian act of terrorism that tried to assassinate Russia's leader. Russia reserves the right to respond to this attack as it sees fit.
• Pro-Ukraine narrative, as provided by Ukrainska Pravda. Ukraine has nothing to do with the attacks on the Kremlin. Ukraine is focused on deploying its forces and capabilities to liberate its own territories, rather than attack the territories of another country.

Predictions