A prominent Russian state TV personality has launched a furious tirade against the United States, claiming that the CIA was behind a recent drone attack on one of Vladimir Putin's residences. The alleged attack reportedly took place at a home used by Putin in Russia’s Novgorod region during the last days of December. Both Ukraine and Western officials have denied involvement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the claims as “typical Russian lies,” while a senior EU official suggested the allegations were a deliberate distraction.
The Kremlin has yet to provide any concrete evidence linking the United States to the incident. However, had Washington been directly involved, it could have risked escalating tensions between the two nations, potentially even triggering a major international conflict. The accusations come shortly after U.S. special forces carried out a high-profile operation in Venezuela on January 3, detaining former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas and bringing them to the U.S. to face court charges.
Vladimir Solovyov, known for his aggressive pro-Kremlin commentary and threats toward the West, claimed on Russian state television that former President Donald Trump could not assert that “Russia is telling the truth” regarding the alleged drone strike. Solovyov argued that the CIA “cannot tell the truth” because, in his view, an American expert was behind the strike.
He added, “Trump is playing political games. We aren’t helping him at all… He might want our help, but we have to prioritize our national interests.”
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters that U.S. officials had concluded that Ukraine did not target any Putin residence, contradicting initial Kremlin claims. While Trump initially expressed anger after a phone call with Putin, he later downplayed the incident, stating that there was no evidence the attack had actually occurred.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted that Ukraine launched a drone wave at Putin’s Novgorod residence, which Russian defense systems successfully intercepted. Lavrov also criticized Kyiv for allegedly attacking during sensitive negotiations to end the war. Notably, the claims surfaced just a day after Zelensky met with Trump in Florida to discuss the U.S.’s ongoing 20-point plan for peace.
Trump, returning to Washington, told reporters aboard Air Force One, “Something happened nearby, but our officials did not find that Putin’s residence was targeted. We don’t believe that strike happened, now that we’ve been able to check.”
European officials largely dismissed Moscow’s claims as a tactic to disrupt ongoing peace efforts, emphasizing that the allegations were likely intended to undermine international negotiations.
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