Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday dismissed accusations from senior Kremlin figures that Kyiv was behind an attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, labeling the claim as “entirely fabricated.”
The allegations came from Yuri Ushakov, a prominent aide on foreign policy for Putin, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. These statements, released on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official Telegram channel, accused Ukraine of launching a drone strike on a Russian presidential residence located in the Novgorod region of northwestern Russia.
Zelenskyy responded by stating, “This so-called ‘residence strike’ narrative is a complete invention designed to rationalize further assaults on Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own reluctance to pursue peace. It’s typical Russian deception. Moreover, they have already targeted Kyiv in the past, even hitting the Cabinet of Ministers building.”
He emphasized, “Ukraine refrains from actions that could jeopardize diplomatic efforts. In contrast, it is Russia that consistently undermines diplomacy. This is a fundamental distinction between us.”
A local resident navigates through the debris near a wrecked house a day after a Russian strike in a suburb of Odesa, located in southern Ukraine, on March 7, 2025. (Oleksandr Gimanova/AFP via Getty Images)
In a further statement shared on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official Telegram channel, Lavrov cautioned that Russia would respond, stating, “Such reckless actions will not be met without a response.”
“The targets for retaliatory strikes and the timing of their execution by the Russian Armed Forces have been determined. At the same time, we do not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process with the United States,” he added.
The White House confirmed to Fox News on Monday that Trump spoke with Putin for the second time in two days, following the commander in chief’s Sunday meeting in Florida with Zelenskyy.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. ( REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the call was “positive” and focused on discussions about the war in Ukraine.
Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago Monday afternoon that he learned about the reported drone strike during the phone call with Putin earlier in the day.
“This is not the right time. It’s one thing to be offensive because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that and — can’t do it. And I learned about it from President Putin, and I was very angry about it,” he said.
Trump on Sunday touted his meeting with Zelenskyy and senior Ukrainian officials as productive as discussions continued over potential pathways toward ending Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine.
“I really believe we’re probably, Mr. President, closer than — by far — closer than ever before with both parties,” Trump said at a joint press conference with the Ukrainian leader.
Trump said the thorniest unresolved issue remains land Russia wants but does not fully control, referring to territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, and suggested Kyiv would be better off making a deal sooner rather than later.
