Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Ukraine attempted an overnight strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences in the Novgorod region using 91 long‑range drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the allegation, describing it as false and aimed at derailing diplomacy.
Lavrov stated that all drones were intercepted by Russian air defences and that there were no casualties or damage. He said Moscow would revise its negotiating position but did not intend to leave the process with the United States.
Zelenskyy said the claim was designed to provide a pretext for further Russian strikes, including against government buildings in Kyiv, and urged international partners to respond.
The allegations surfaced a day after Zelenskyy met U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar‑a‑Lago, Florida, on Sunday 28 December, where he said a draft framework included 15‑year U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump later said the agreement was “about 95%” complete, with difficult issues still open.
Following the Florida meeting, the White House confirmed a call between Trump and Putin. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin told Trump that Russia would review its stance in talks and claimed the U.S. president was shocked by the reported drone incident; Washington did not endorse that characterisation.
Public evidence of the supposed attack has not been presented. Russian statements said all drones were destroyed and reported no injuries or damage; it was also unclear whether Putin was at the residence.
Russian media also reported that the Defence Ministry earlier counted 89 Ukrainian drones downed across Russia that night, with a smaller subset over Novgorod-figures that differ from the foreign minister’s account.
What this means for diplomacy is immediate pressure on the negotiating track. Russia says it will reassess its position while remaining engaged; Kyiv and Washington are exploring security guarantees within a broader settlement. Based on these official statements, the near‑term risk is a harder Russian line alongside continued talks.