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U.S. security agencies, supported by a CIA assessment, concluded that Ukraine did not attempt to attack a residence of Vladimir Putin with drones in the Russian region of Novgorod, contrary to the accusation made by Moscow. This information was reported by The Wall Street Journal and gathered by Reuters, which noted that the White House did not comment on the report and that a CIA spokesperson was not immediately available.
What happened (and why it matters)
The Russian accusation: According to Moscow, Ukraine allegedly launched 91 long-range drones against a presidential residence in Novgorod, which—according to the Kremlin—could impact its position in the negotiations driven by Washington.
The U.S. version: U.S. security officials, quoted by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, ruled out the possibility of an attempt to attack Putin or his properties, based on intelligence information analyzed by the CIA.
The political backdrop: Reuters adds that President Donald Trump shifted from initial concern to later supporting a critical editorial regarding Moscow, after receiving a briefing from CIA Director John Ratcliffe about the Kremlin's accusations.
Moscow insists and delivers a new message
Hours after the American reports, the Russian Ministry of Defense posted a message on its official X account (formerly Twitter) claiming to have extracted data from a Ukrainian drone shot down on December 29 over the Novgorod region. According to the statement, the information "shows that a facility of the Russian president's residence was its target" and the data would be transmitted to the United States "through established channels."
The message was not accompanied by verifiable evidence and was met with skepticism by Western analysts, who view it as an attempt by the Kremlin to uphold its narrative of a supposed Ukrainian aggression. Neither Washington nor Kiev has officially commented on the publication.
Ukraine denounces a propaganda maneuver
For its part, Ukraine described Moscow's claims as "ridiculous" and reiterated that no attack occurred, accusing the Kremlin of fabricating the incident to distract attention from its military stalemate and hinder the diplomatic talks promoted by the West. Reuters emphasizes that it has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video or the existence of the alleged remains of the Chaklun-V model drone displayed by Russia.
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