Russia alleges Ukraine of attempting drone strike on Kremlin with aim of killing Putin

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Russia has claimed that an attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin was made by Ukraine on Wednesday. A drone was allegedly fired on the Kremlin, according to AFP reports.

“Ukraine tried to attack the Kremlin with drones. It is a terrorist act and we have the right to respond,” news agency AP quoted a Kremlin statement.

Putin wasn’t in the Kremlin at the time and was at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti.

The Kremlin said Russian military and security forces stopped the drones before they could strike. Nobody was hurt, it added.

A statement from the Kremlin declared the attack a “terrorist act” and claimed that they have the right to respond.

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According to the Russian state news agency RIA, two drones were reportedly used in the attack, but both were disabled by Russian defence officers. Moreover, Putin emerged unharmed in the attack nor did buildings in Kremlin suffer any damage, the report further stated.

“The Kremlin has assessed these actions as a planned terrorist act and an assassination attempt on the president on the eve of Victory Day, the 9 May Parade,” the RIA was quoted by The guardian.

The Kremlin claimed the attack was planned to disrupt Victory Day, which Russia celebrates in Red Square on May 9 to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Peskov said the parade would take place as scheduled.

Despite the attack, Putin continued working as usual in Novo Ogaryovo, outside Moscow, and his schedule remained unchanged. The report stated that Russia reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.

Ukraine statement on Kremlin drone attack

A spokesperson for Zelensky said that Ukraine was not involved in the attack on the Kremlin.

”We have no information about the so-called night attacks on the Kremlin, but as President Zelensky has repeatedly stated, Ukraine directs all available forces and means to liberate its territories and not to attack others,” spokesperson said.

Both Russia and Ukraine reportedly have experienced ammunition shortages after a winter of long-range shelling and missile strikes. Ukraine’s government has been pressing its allies to give it more as officials consider when and how they might start trying to drive Russian forces out of the Ukrainian territory they have occupied.

(with PTI inputs)