Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate President Vladimir Putin through a drone attack on the Kremlin in Moscow. The alleged attack reportedly took place overnight, but Kiev has denied the allegations and suggested that it could be used by Russia as a pretext for an attack on Ukraine.
The United States officials expressed skepticism about the proximity of the drone to the Kremlin and had no prior knowledge of the alleged attack. The Kremlin has blamed Ukraine for the incident, calling it a terrorist act and reserving the right to take countermeasures.
Even if successful, an assault on Moscow’s center would be a stunning reminder of Russia’s vulnerability in advance of an anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive that aims to drive the Kremlin’s forces out of territory they have taken. According to a statement on the Kremlin website, two hostile drones had been neutralized by Russian military and special forces, which caused their debris to crash onto the grounds of the government building.
Prior to triumph Day, which is May 9 and commemorates the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II, the statement claimed, “We view these actions as a planned terrorist attack and an assassination attempt targeting the President.” “Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures wherever and whenever it deems appropriate,” the statement continued.
Putin was working out of a presidential house close to Moscow at the time of the claimed attack, according to Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, who spoke to state news agency RIA Novosti. The Kremlin said that the incident had no bearing on the president’s schedule.
According to the news agency, Peskov also stated that the Victory Day parade will still take place on Red Square. Later, former Russian president and one of the war’s most ardent backers Dmitry Medvedev told RIA Novosti that there were “no options left except for the physical elimination of Zelensky and his cabal.”
