The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Moscow’s statements about an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region. In an official statement, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry called these accusations “another Kremlin false flag operation” aimed at justifying possible new strikes against Ukraine and sabotaging recent diplomatic achievements.
“The Kremlin’s latest operation under a false flag to justify possible strikes on Ukraine is nothing new. We remember the failed ‘drone attack’ on the Kremlin in May 2023. Putin is not only planning a massive attack on Kyiv, but he is also pursuing the goal of sabotaging the achievements agreed upon yesterday in Mar-a-Lago,” said a statement from the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry published on social media.
Lithuania’s statement was a response to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who on December 29 accused Ukraine of attempting to attack Putin’s residence in Valdai with 91 drones. According to Moscow, all the drones were shot down by air defense systems, and there were no casualties or damage. Lavrov added that Russia would review its position in the conflict settlement talks but would not withdraw from them.
Ukraine has categorically rejected these accusations. President Volodymyr Zelensky called them “complete fabrications” and “typical Russian lies” intended to justify further attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the government quarter in Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga also said that such provocations are aimed at disrupting the peace process.
The Russian statements came amid progress in US-Ukrainian negotiations: on December 28, Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, where the parties discussed a settlement plan. Putin mentioned the alleged attack in a phone call with Trump on December 29, to which the American leader, according to Kremlin sources, reacted with “shock and indignation.”
Independent sources note the absence of any evidence of an attack by Russia: no photos, no videos, no confirmation from local authorities in the Novgorod region. Residents of Valdai reported that they did not hear any air defense activity on the night of December 29. Some experts and media outlets suggest that this could be an information provocation by Moscow against the backdrop of diplomatic shifts.