The Kremlin looks to be covered in smoke in video posted on Russian social media after the suspected attack. According to Russia, its security and military personnel took out the drones before they could launch an attack.
Vladimir Putin’s presidential residence was the target of two drone assaults overnight. Russia claimed to have halted them and warned Kyiv with retaliation.
The Russian military and security forces reportedly took down the drones before they could launch an attack, and the Kremlin accused Ukraine for what it called a “terrorist act.”
Mr. Putin was not hurt, and there were no reports of casualties or property damage.
The influential speaker of Russia’s parliament demanded the use of “weapons capable of stopping and destroying the Kyiv terrorist regime” in response.
Following the alleged attack, according to Vyacheslav Volodin’s statement on Telegram, Russia should avoid negotiations with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“On Wednesday night, the Kyiv regime made an attempt to strike using a UAV the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
“The Kremlin was the target of two unmanned aerial vehicles.
The vehicles were rendered inoperable as a result of prompt actions made by the military and special services using radar warfare equipment.
The claim that it was an assassination attempt as Russia gets ready to mark its annual Victory Day next Tuesday was not supported by any proof provided by the Kremlin.
It implied that Moscow would exploit the alleged attack to justify escalating its conflict in Ukraine by saying Russia had the right to retaliate.
Footage appears to show flying object exploding
Videos posted to Russian social media purport to show an explosion over the dome of the Kremlin Senate building, which looks out over Red Square.
An apparent smoke plume rising over the Kremlin after the purported attack may be seen in another video.
Putin was not in Kremlin
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told the Russian official news agency RIA Novosti that Vladimir Putin was working in Novo-Ogaryovo, a city outside of Moscow, at the time and was not at the Kremlin.
The Kremlin also said that Vladimir Putin’s schedule remained the same.
The Victory Day parade in Russia, according to Mr. Peskov, will happen on May 9 as scheduled. The significant event honors the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and gives Mr. Putin a chance to mobilize the Russian people behind his “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Due to concerns that pro-Ukrainian saboteurs could target the celebrations, security is being stepped up in Moscow while several Russian regions have announced they are reducing their festivities.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, announced the city has put an emergency ban on unauthorized drone flights just before word of the suspected attack leaked.
Kyiv denies it carried out alleged strike
A senior Ukrainian presidential official said Kyiv had nothing to do with the alleged drone strike.
Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the Kremlin’s allegations suggest Russia could be preparing for a large-scale “terrorist” attack against Ukraine in the coming days.
“Of course, Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin. We do not attack the Kremlin because, first of all, it does not resolve any military problems,” he said.
“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?”
“In my opinion, it is absolutely obvious that both’ reports about an attack on the Kremlin’ and concurrently the alleged detention of Ukrainian saboteurs in Crimea…clearly indicate the preparation of a large-scale terrorist provocation by Russia in the coming days,” he continued.
Air strike alerts issued in Ukraine
Ukraine issued alarms for air strikes over Kyiv and other places not long after the Kremlin’s accusation.
While Ukraine has engaged in “a lot of drone activity,” military analyst Sean Bell told Sky News that it “does feel odd that Ukraine would be so audacious as to mount something in Moscow.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in an interview with the Washington Post that Washington was unable to verify accusations that Ukraine had targeted Mr. Putin and that everything emanating from the Kremlin should be treated “with a large shaker of salt.”
When asked if the US would criticize Kiev if it independently decided to launch an attack on Russian soil, Mr. Blinken responded that Ukraine should determine how to defend itself.
Russian accusations of cross-border attacks
Since the start of the conflict, Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a number of cross-border attacks, including strikes in December on an air base located deeply within Russian territory that is home to nuclear-capable strategic bomber planes.
A drone crashed in Kolomna in February, some 110 kilometers (70 miles) from Moscow’s city center.
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