Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on the Kremlin with the intention of assassinating President Vladimir Putin. It considered the attack to be a planned terrorist action and added that two drones had been deployed in the attack, both of which had been neutralised by Russian defences.
“Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin. As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the devices were put out of action,” the Kremlin asserted in a statement.
“We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the president’s life, carried out on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade, at which the presence of foreign guests is also planned. The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit,” it read.
A video of the alleged drone attack on the Kremlin has appeared, which shows a flying object approaching the dome of the Kremlin Senate building, and then exploding into bright flames just before reaching it. Burning debris fell to the ground after the explosion in the air.
The Kremlin complex’s grounds were covered in drone fragments after they were intercepted, according to a statement from the presidential administration. However, no one was not injured, Putin was not present in Kremlin, and there was no material damage to the buildings. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the president was working at his residence outside Moscow on Wednesday and would still take part in a scheduled WWII Victory Day parade on Red Square next week as planned.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, has declared a ban on unlicensed drones flying over the Russian city.
However, Ukraine has denied any involvement with the incident, and claimed that it was staged by Russia. A senior Ukrainian presidential official said that Kyiv had nothing to do with any drone attack on the Kremlin. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that the Kremlin’s allegations against Ukraine suggest Russia could be preparing for a large-scale “terrorist” attack against Ukraine in the coming days. He said that such actions will achieve nothing for Kyiv on the battlefield, and would only provoke Russia to take more radical action.
“I can’t say anything on the Kremlin claims. It can be Russian propaganda,” commented Ukrainian member of Parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko while responding to the reproaches by Russia.
Victory Day, a significant national festival honouring the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War Two, provides Vladimir Putin with an opportunity to mobilise Russians in support of what he refers to as his special military operation in Ukraine. The event is celebrated in Russia with a massive military parade on Red Square, where seating has already been set up.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a number of cross-border attacks, including strikes in December on an air base located deeply within Russian territory that is home to strategic bomber planes with nuclear weapons. A drone crashed near Kolomna, some 110 kilometres (70 miles) from Moscow’s city core, in February.
Although Kyiv officials have frequently praised such attacks with cryptic or mocking remarks, Ukraine typically declines to take responsibility for any attacks on Russia or Crimea.
The Kremlin’s announcement came as Ukraine was getting ready for a new onslaught against Russian forces that had been in the works for months.