US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he does not believe an alleged Ukrainian strike on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence took place as reported by Moscow.
“I don't believe that strike happened," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington, D.C., from Florida. "There is something that happened fairly nearby, but had nothing to do with this."
The Kremlin had claimed on Monday that Ukraine attempted to strike Putin’s residence in Russia’s northern Novgorod region with 91 long-range attack drones. Russia also said it would reassess its negotiating stance with the United States in ongoing talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine and Western officials have disputed Russia’s account, and Trump’s statement aligned with this skepticism.
President Trump clarified that U.S. officials had determined the Ukrainian military did not target Putin’s residence. “Something happened nearby,” he said, “but Americans officials didn't find the Russian president's residence was targeted.”
The alleged drone attack was first mentioned by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said that Ukraine had launched drones at Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region, which Russian defense systems reportedly intercepted. Lavrov condemned the attack, saying it occurred amid intensive negotiations to end the war.
The incident followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Florida for discussions with Trump on a 20-point plan being developed by the U.S. administration to resolve the conflict. Zelenskyy also denied that Ukraine had targeted the Russian president.
Trump reiterated his position as he returned to Washington after two weeks in Florida. “We don't believe that happened, now that we've been able to check,” he said, reinforcing that U.S. intelligence found no evidence of a direct strike on Putin’s residence.
(With agency inputs)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
