Russians expose Kremlin fake about drone attack on Valdai
30 December 09:18
The information about the alleged massive drone attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region is not supported by facts and was denied by the Russians themselves. Local residents of the town of Valdai said that on the night of the “attack” they did not hear the operation of air defense systems, which was officially reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense. This is reported by the Russian edition of SOTA, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
Kremlin’s statements and international reaction
on December 29, Sergei Lavrov announced an alleged drone attack on Putin’s residence, accusing the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After that, the Russian Defense Ministry released a version of the interception of dozens of attack drones that were allegedly heading for the Russian leader’s residence.
At the same time, US President Donald Trump said he had no confirmation of such an attack and promised to “investigate the circumstances.”
Local residents do not confirm “air defense operation”
According to residents of Valdai, near where Putin’s Uzhin residence is located, no explosions, shooting, or characteristic sounds of air defense were heard overnight. This casts doubt on the Russian authorities’ claims of a massive downing of drones.
The number of drones announced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also raises particular questions. He announced the alleged interception of 91 drones, although the official morning statistics of the Russian Defense Ministry indicate that 89 drones were shot down overnight across Russia, of which only 18 were over the Novgorod region.
Why the “attack” looks unlikely
SOTA journalists note that the attack described by the Kremlin looks technically unrealistic. Airplane-type drones used by Ukraine usually fly at low altitudes and on direct routes.
If launched from the north of Ukraine, they would have to cross Russia’s highly protected airspace, which houses the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, military aviation, air defense systems, and closed administrative units, including Solnechny and Ozerny.
According to the journalists, the drones could have reached the Uzhin residence only under exceptional circumstances or with the tacit consent of the military command, as there are well-protected military facilities along their flight route.
Ukraine’s position
Ukraine has officially denied Russia’s accusations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the Kremlin could use the fake story of the “attack” as a cover for new strikes on Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga emphasized that Moscow’s statements are a deliberate provocation aimed at disrupting peace initiatives and creating false grounds for further aggression.
“Russian manipulations about the alleged attempted attack on Putin’s residence are fabricated with the sole purpose of creating a pretext and justification for new attacks against Ukraine,” the Foreign Minister emphasized.
What is known about the residence in Valdai
Putin’s residence “Long Beards”, also known as Valdai, is located in the Novgorod region on Lake Valdai.
It is one of the official residences of the Russian president, along with the Kremlin, Novo-Ogaryovo, Bocharov Stream in Sochi, and the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna.
