MOSCOW—Russian officials accused Ukraine on Wednesday of attempting to murder President Vladimir Putin with two drone attacks overnight.
The claimed attack attempt was labeled a "terrorist act" by the Kremlin, and Russian military and security authorities "disabled" the drones before they could strike. It didn't go into detail.
According to a statement on the Kremlin's website, debris from the unmanned aerial vehicles fell on the grounds of Russia's government seat but did not cause any harm. No casualties were recorded, according to the statement, which did not explain what caused the drones to split up.
A video that claimed to have been recorded across the river from the Kremlin and was posted overnight on a local Moscow news Telegram channel showed what appeared to be smoke rising above the Kremlin.
Residents of a nearby apartment building reported hearing booms and seeing smoke about 2:30 a.m., according to the caption accompanying the video. It was unable to independently verify the posted film because it was posted at 7:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. Eastern).
Kyiv flatly denied any participation in the incident. "We do not attack the Kremlin because, first and foremost, it solves no military problems." Absolutely. And this is absolutely detrimental in terms of planning our offensive measures," Ukraine's presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, stated.
“And most importantly, it would allow Russia to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities. Why do we need this?” Podolyak said.
The Kremlin provided no proof to back up its claims, including an assassination attempt, as Russia prepared to celebrate Victory Day on Tuesday.
“We consider these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of Russia, carried out on the eve of the Victory Day, the parade on May 9, where foreign dignitaries are expected,” the Kremlin’s statement read. Russia has the right to retaliate "when and where it sees fit," according to the statement.
Putin was not in the Kremlin at the time, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who was working from the Novo-Ogaryovo home.
Putin, according to the Kremlin, is safe and his itinerary is intact. Peskov stated that the parade will take place on May 9 as planned.
Shortly before the alleged attack, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin issued a ban on the use of drones in the Russian capital, with an exception for government-launched drones.
Sobyanin did not give a rationale for the restriction, simply that it would prevent "illegal use of drones that can impede law enforcement work."
Mikhail Sheremet, a Russian politician who represents Crimea in Moscow, said Russian state media that the Kremlin could authorize a missile strike on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's mansion in Kyiv in retribution for the reported event on Wednesday.
