Russia is accusing Ukraine of an assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin after reporting multiple drone attacks over the Kremlin walls overnight. Video, tweeted out by an independent journalist, shows what looks like one drone exploding near the dome of the Kremlin.
The Kremlin said two drones were used in the alleged attack on Putin’s residence but the drones were disabled by electronic defenses. Putin was not in the Kremlin at the time of the drone explosions.
Russia now says it has the right to retaliate. The comment could suggest a further escalation of the war with Ukraine.
A senior Ukrainian official has responded to reports of the drone attack saying Kyiv had nothing to do with the incident.
A Ukrainian advisor said Moscow could have faked the drone attack in order to defend a large-scale terrorist attack of its own in the coming days.
This is seen as the most serious accusation against Ukraine, and it’s one that has U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken skeptical.
“I’ve seen the reports. I can’t in any way validate them. We simply don’t know. I would take anything coming out of the Kremlin with a very large shaker of salt,” Blinken said in a statement.
The videos circulating social media of the drone attack have also not yet been verified by the U.S. government.
The new claims from Russia could change the scope of the war that began 14 months ago.