Ukraine: Assassination bid on Vladimir Putin?

Kyiv, Ukraine : Russia claimed it foiled a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin on Wednesday, calling it an unsuccessful assassination attempt against President Vladimir Putin and promising retaliation for what it termed a “terrorist” act. Ukraine denied any involvement, saying Moscow could use it for further escalation of the war.

Putin wasn’t in the Kremlin at the time and was at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti.

There was no independent verification of the reported attack on the Kremlin, which Russia authorities said occurred overnight but presented no evidence in support of the claim. Nor did officials say why it took more than 12 hours to report the incident.

Meanwhile, Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied any involvement. “Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin,” he said. He said the claims would provide a pretext for Russia “to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities” in coming days.

The alleged attack immediately prompted calls in Russia from pro-Kremlin personalities to carry out assassinations on senior leadership in Ukraine.

The purported drone attack would be a significant escalation in the 14-month conflict, with Ukraine taking the war to the heart of Russian power.

The Kremlin said Russian military and security forces stopped the drones before they could strike. Nobody was hurt, it added.

The claims came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an unannounced visit to Helsinki for talks with the leaders of five Nordic countries.