This is information that gives credence to kyiv’s denial. While Russia accuses Ukraine of having attacked with 91 drones the residence of Vladimir Putin in Valdai, between the Russian capital and Saint Petersburg, on the night of Sunday to Monday December 29, the CIA judged in a report, which has not been made public, that Ukraine had not targeted the Russian president or one of his residences, confirming the version of the Ukrainian authorities, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The United States thus established that Ukraine was seeking to strike a military target located in the same region as Putin’s country residence, but not in the immediate vicinity, said a US intelligence official. According to the American daily, Donald Trump was informed on Wednesday December 31 of the contents of the report by the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, pushing him to change his tone. The leader of the United States has in fact broadcast on his social network an editorial from New York Posttitled “Putin’s boasts (about alleged attack on his residence) show that it is Russia that stands in the way of peace.” Two days earlier, the American president said he was “very angry” after a telephone discussion with his Russian counterpart, who had on the contrary assured him that Ukrainian drones had targeted his residence.
Sour relationships
If Volodymyr Zelensky has already recognized in the past the involvement of his country in certain assassinations and acts of sabotage on Russian territory, he has always denied any responsibility in any attack against Putin’s residence. Ukrainian authorities say that the Russian president is looking for a pretext to sour relations between Washington and kyiv and weaken the position of his adversary in the negotiations led under the aegis of the United States, with a view to ending the war.
For its part, the Kremlin persists and signs. The Defense Ministry released a video on Wednesday showing a plane believed to have been shot down in the attack, in which a soldier with a covered face stands near the wreckage of a drone and claims it was carrying a six-kilogram explosive charge. The Russian army also published a map showing the trajectory of the devices launched during this alleged attack, as well as the testimony of a man presented as an inhabitant of a village located near the residence.
Concerns abroad
This Russian accusation comes after the nearly three-hour meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, described as “excellent” by the former. Donald Trump even raised the possibility of a trip to kyiv to plead for peace, while Russia does not seem ready to make concessions. In response to this alleged attack, Moscow also threatened to further harden its position in the negotiations, and launched drone strikes in the port region of Odessa.
Abroad, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday he was “deeply concerned” by this alleged operation, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it a “heinous act.” The UAE Foreign Ministry also expressed concern over the allegation. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, said in a social media post that he discussed next steps toward peace with national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany on Wednesday. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s top national security official and negotiator, also participated in the exchange.
