EU foreign policy chief dismisses 3 Russian claims of Ukrainian attacks as distraction
The European Union’s top diplomat has rejected Russian claims that Ukraine targeted government sites, describing the allegations as a deliberate attempt to derail peace efforts.
Kaja Kallas said on social media that Moscow’s accusations were designed to distract from Russia’s own actions in the war. Her comments followed claims by the Kremlin that Ukraine had attempted a drone strike on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences.
“No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians,” Kallas wrote.
EU foreign policy
Earlier this week, Moscow accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Putin’s private home near Lake Valdai in north western Russia and said it would review its stance in ongoing peace negotiations as a result.
Since Sergei Lavrov first aired the allegation, Russian state media and senior politicians have escalated their rhetoric. Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, said the alleged strike was “a blow to the heart of Russia” and claimed there could be “no forgiveness”.
Although the Kremlin initially said it saw no reason to publish evidence, Russia’s defence ministry later released material it said showed proof of the attempted attack. This included a map alleging the drones were launched from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions, along with a video showing a downed drone in snowy woodland. A serviceman in the footage claims the wreckage is that of a Ukrainian Chaklun drone.
The BBC has not been able to verify the video, and its location cannot be confirmed. While the drone’s shape resembles Ukrainian produced Chakluns, the components shown are inexpensive and widely available, making it impossible to conclusively link them to Ukraine’s military.
Russia’s defence ministry also shared footage of a local resident who said he heard a rocket like sound during the alleged incident. However, a Russian investigative outlet reported that more than a dozen residents near Putin’s residence said they heard nothing suggesting 91 drones had approached or been intercepted. One resident said that if such an event had occurred, “the whole city would have been talking about it”.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry dismissed Russia’s claims outright. Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told Reuters that the evidence presented was “laughable” and accused Moscow of failing even to fabricate a convincing story.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also firmly denied the allegations, linking them to efforts to undermine US led peace talks. Putin has not publicly addressed the alleged incident, though in his New Year’s Eve address to Russian troops he said he believed in their victory.
On Wednesday, advisers to Donald Trump met with Zelensky and national security advisers from the UK, France and Germany to discuss an end to the war. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the talks focused on strengthening security guarantees and creating mechanisms to prevent renewed conflict.
In his New Year’s Eve address, Zelensky said a peace agreement was “90% ready”, adding that the remaining issues would determine the future of Ukraine and Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron said European leaders meeting in Paris on 6 January would make concrete commitments to protect Ukraine and pursue a just and lasting peace.
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Zelensky has argued that Russia’s drone claims are intended to disrupt recent positive momentum between Washington and Kyiv. He also warned that the allegation could be used to justify further attacks on Ukraine’s capital. Overnight on Wednesday, air raid alerts briefly sounded in Kyiv as a drone approached, though no damage was reported.
Elsewhere, Russian drone strikes hit several regions, including Odesa on the Black Sea, where an apartment building was struck and six people were injured, among them three children. More than 170,000 residents were left without power as temperatures hovered around freezing. Odesa has faced sustained attacks in recent weeks, with the intensity increasing since Putin threatened in early December to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea.
As another year of war draws to a close, many Ukrainians are clinging to hope. Standing near Kyiv’s St Sophia monastery, 26 year old Mariya said she wished for an end to the fighting in 2026. “We want this to be over and to live as we did before,” she said, adding that Ukraine’s strength lay in its people.
Nearby, teenage carollers collected donations for the armed forces. One said, “We all want victory to come in 2026. It’s our united wish.”
Zelensky has said he wants peace negotiations to resume quickly in January with both American and European involvement. But any agreement will require Russia’s consent, which currently appears distant, and which the disputed drone allegations may have pushed even further away.
