Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of attempting to strike President Vladimir Putin’s residence, saying Kyiv had launched 91 long-range drones that were all destroyed by Russian air defenses. Kyiv denied the allegation, calling it baseless and intended to disrupt ongoing peace talks.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the drones targeted a residence in the Novgorod region west of Moscow on Dec. 28–29. He said no one was injured and there was no damage. Lavrov described the attack as “state terrorism” and warned that Russia had already selected targets for retaliation.

Reuters could not independently verify Russia’s claims, and officials offered no evidence for the alleged attack. Putin’s location at the time was unclear.

Trump reacts

U.S. President Donald Trump said he learned of the alleged attack from Putin in a Monday phone call, which left him “very angry.”

“It’s one thing to be offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that,” Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump added that the conversation with Putin was productive and that he hoped a peace deal might still be possible.

Ukraine rejects allegations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Russia’s claim as a “complete fabrication,” saying it was an attempt to justify potential strikes on Kyiv government buildings.

“It is clear that for the Russians, if there is no scandal between America and us, and we are making progress, for them it is a failure, because they do not want to end this war,” Zelenskiy said.

Territorial issues remain unresolved

The alleged attack came amid stalled peace talks over Ukraine’s territorial disputes. Russia continues to demand Ukrainian troop withdrawals from parts of Donetsk, while Ukraine seeks a halt to fighting along the current front lines.

Putin reiterated that Russian forces should press ahead to capture all of the Zaporizhzhia region, of which Moscow already controls roughly 75%. Colonel-General Mikhail Teplinsky told Putin that Russian troops were 15 km (9.3 miles) from the city of Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine retains control over parts of the Donbas region, and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station remains a key sticking point in negotiations. The U.S. has proposed a free economic zone if Ukraine withdraws troops from contested areas, but Russia opposes foreign troop deployments on Ukrainian soil.

Russia maintains military pressure

Lavrov said that Ukraine and Western nations must acknowledge that Russia holds the strategic initiative on the battlefield.

“Our principled position remains unchanged. The strategic initiative rests wholly with the Russian army,” he said.

Zelenskiy reiterated that Ukraine cannot win the war without U.S. support and that he does not trust Putin to act in Ukraine’s interest.