Russia accused Ukraine today, Wednesday, of attacking the Kremlin with two drones overnight "in an attempt to kill" President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on Wednesday that Ukraine attempted an attack on the Kremlin building last night using drones, intending to "kill President Vladimir Putin." He pointed out that the Russian president "was not in the Kremlin building at the time of the attack and was unharmed," noting that Putin "is currently working in a city outside Moscow, and his schedule is proceeding as usual." Peskov stated that the Kremlin considers this incident a "planned terrorist attack" and a "murder attempt against President Putin," affirming that Russia "retains the right to respond wherever and however it sees fit," and indicating that Russian defenses "disabled the drones." Former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev viewed the Kremlin attack as leaving Russia no choice but to "eliminate Zelensky and his associates."
**Air Alerts in Kyiv**
Kyiv and other regions in central and eastern Ukraine issued air alerts today, shortly after the Kremlin accused Ukraine of the attack. A senior Ukrainian presidential official denied the accusation, stating that Moscow is preparing for a "large-scale terrorist provocation."
**United States Investigates**
A U.S. official indicated that the United States is trying to verify Moscow's allegations that Ukraine unsuccessfully sought to kill President Vladimir Putin with a drone attack on his residence in the Kremlin. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that he cannot validate Russia's claim that Ukraine attempted to assassinate the Russian president, stating that he will view any claims coming from the Kremlin "with suspicion." In response to a question about whether the United States would criticize Ukraine if it decided independently to strike back against Moscow's attacks, Blinken said, "These are decisions that Ukraine must make regarding how to defend itself." The U.S. is analyzing intelligence information, satellite images, and communications to gather evidence about what occurred in Moscow.
**No Negotiation with Zelensky Now**
Following the attack, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin called for the elimination of the "Ukrainian regime," stating, "There can be no negotiations with Zelensky now." The Mayor of Moscow issued a decision to prohibit the flying of drones over the city. Videos surfaced on social media showing smoke rising over the Kremlin at night.
