Kiev attempts attack on Putin’s residence. Lavrov: "We will respond". But Zelensky denies it

Ukrainian forces attempted last night to strike the official residence of the Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region. This was reported by Tass. Moscow’s reaction was very harsh, in the words of Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov.

“Russia will respond to Kiev’s attack on the residence of the Russian president, the objectives and timing of the counterattack have been defined,” he said.
Moscow, he continued, “will review its negotiating position taking into account” the incident and “the definitive transition of the Kiev regime to the policy of state terrorism” but “it will not withdraw from the negotiations”.

“On the night between December 28 and 29, the Kiev regime committed a terrorist attack using 91 combat drones long range vs the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Novgorod region. All drones were destroyed by air defense assets of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” Lavrov’s statement read.

“There have been no reports of casualties or damage caused by drone debris,” he said.

“We underline that this action was carried out in the course of intense negotiations between Russia and the United States for the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict. Reckless actions like this will not go unanswered. The objectives of the counterattacks and the moment when they will be launched by the Russian armed forces have been identified,” he assured.

“Nevertheless, we do not intend to abandon the negotiation process with the United States. However, taking into account the final transformation of the criminal regime in Kiev, which has transitioned to a state terrorism policy Russia’s negotiating position will be reviewed,” he concluded.

Zelensky’s denial

President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied that Ukrainian forces tried to bomb Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s estate in Novgorod. “The Russians made up a blatantly false story about an alleged attack on a residence of the Russian dictator, in order to have justification for continuing attacks against Ukraine, especially against Kiev, and for refusing to take the necessary steps to end the war,” he wrote on Telegram.
“It’s a typical lying tactic of the Russians,” he insisted.