Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Zelensky denies Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin at Kremlin with drones

Zelensky denies Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin at Kremlin with drones

Ukraine denies alleged attack on Russian president which reportedly saw two drones brought down over the Kremlin

Ukraine has denied attacking the Kremlin with drones overnight in a failed bid to assassinate President Vladimir Putin.

Russia said on Wednesday two drones had been used in the alleged attack on Putin’s residence in the Kremlin citadel, but had been disabled by electronic Russian defences before they could strike.

But Kyiv has firmly denied the accusation - the most serious that Moscow has levelled in more than 14 months of war - which it said would “allow Russia to justify massive attacks on Ukrainian cities”.

In a statement, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said: “We don't attack Putin or Moscow. We fight on our territory. We're defending our villages and cities.”

The Kremlin has alleged debris from the devices fell on the grounds of the seat of Russia’s government but did not cause any damage. The statement, which did not explain what caused the drones to break up, said no casualties were reported.

The Kremlin said it considered the attack an act of terrorism and reserved the right to retaliate, state-run RIA news agency reported.



“Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin. As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the devices were put out of action,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

“We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the president’s life, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade, at which the presence of foreign guests is also planned.

“The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit.”

Kyiv categorically denied involvement in the attack.

Vladimir Putin


“We do not attack the Kremlin because, first of all, it does not solve any military problems,” Ukraine’s presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Wednesday afternoon.

“This is extremely disadvantageous from the point of view of preparing our offensive measures.

“And most importantly, it would allow Russia to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities. Why do we need this?”

The US secretary of state said he could not validate Russia's accusation that Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin, but he would take anything coming from the Kremlin with a “very large shaker of salt."

Asked if the United States would criticise Ukraine if it decided on its own to strike back in Russian territory, Antony Blinken said those were decisions for Ukraine to make about how to defend itself.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA that Putin wasn’t in the Kremlin at the time of the alleged attack, and was working from the Novo-Ogaryovo residence.

President Zelensky has denied any role in the attack


Putin was not injured, and there was no material damage to the Kremlin buildings, the Kremlin said, adding that the President’s schedule was unchanged following the incident.

"The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit," it said.

An unverified video circulating on Russian social media including the channel of the military news outlet Zvezda showed pale smoke rising behind the main Kremlin Palace in the walled citadel after the purported incident.

According to text accompanying the video, residents of a nearby apartment building reported hearing bangs and seeing smoke at around 2.30am local time. It was not possible to independently verify the posted footage.

The Kremlin didn’t present any evidence from the reported incident, and its statement included few details.Kremlin spokesman Peskov said a military parade would take place as scheduled on Thursday, when Russia will hold its annual Victory Day celebrations.

Victory Day is a key anniversary for President Vladimir Putin, commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

But Russia has reportedly already scaled back this year’s festivities, citing concerns they could be targeted by pro-Ukrainian saboteurs.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
×