Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine attempted to strike a presidential residence in the Novgorod region overnight using long-range drones. Lavrov claimed Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 91 drones and said there were no injuries or damage.
“Such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” Lavrov said, according to Reuters, calling the alleged attack an act of “state terrorism.” He added that Russia’s armed forces had already selected targets for potential retaliation.
Lavrov said the incident occurred while negotiations over a possible peace deal were ongoing and warned that Moscow would reassess its negotiating position, though he said Russia would not withdraw from talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the accusation, calling it false. He said the claim was an attempt by Moscow to undermine diplomatic efforts and suggested Russia was laying the groundwork for further strikes on Kyiv.
It was not immediately clear whether Putin was present at the residence, known as Dolgiye Borody, or Long Beards. The site has previously been used by several Russian leaders, including Josef Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Boris Yeltsin, and Putin.
The accusation came as fighting continued on multiple fronts. On Monday, Putin ordered Russian forces to press ahead with efforts to take full control of the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine. A Russian commander said Moscow’s troops are now within 15 kilometers of the region’s largest city.
The developments followed high-level talks involving the United States. On Sunday, President Donald Trump hosted Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where Trump said negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are closer than ever, though he acknowledged they could still fail.
Trump’s comments followed what he described as an “excellent” phone call lasting more than two hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he believes Putin remains serious about ending the war, even as Russia continued launching attacks on Ukraine.
“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said during a news conference after the meeting, where he praised Zelensky as “brave.”
Trump and Zelensky both said difficult issues remain unresolved, including whether Russia would retain control of Ukrainian territory it currently occupies. After their meeting, the two leaders held a call with several European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Poland.
Zelensky thanked Trump for his involvement and said Ukraine is prepared to pursue peace.
Trump said he plans to hold another call with Putin following the meeting. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the earlier call was initiated by the American side and described it as “friendly, benevolent, and businesslike.” Ushakov said both leaders agreed to speak again soon.
Ushakov added that Kyiv would need to make what he described as a “bold, responsible, political decision” regarding the Donbas region and other disputed issues for a full halt in fighting to occur.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks continued overnight. In eastern Ukraine, three guided aerial bombs struck private homes in the city of Sloviansk, injuring three people and killing one man, according to local officials. The strike followed an attack on Kyiv a day earlier involving ballistic missiles and drones, which Ukrainian authorities said killed at least one person and wounded 27.
Trump said he still believes a deal is possible. “In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other,” Trump said. “But it could also go poorly.”
