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Russia said a drone attack targeting President Vladimir Putin’s official residence in the Novgorod region was a “targeted, planned and multi-layered” operation carried out by Ukraine.
The assessment was made by Aleksandr Romanenkov, commander of Russia’s Aerospace Forces’ anti-aircraft missile units, during a briefing at the Russian Defense Ministry.
Romanenkov said the briefing included a map showing the drones’ flight routes, a downed drone, and video footage from air defense control systems showing the moment the drones were intercepted.
He said the attack attempt took place on Dec. 28–29, when the Kyiv administration allegedly carried out what he described as a “terrorist attack” using long-range unmanned aerial vehicles against the presidential residence in the Novgorod region.
Romanenkov said radar systems detected the air assault at around 7:20 p.m. local time on Dec. 28, identifying aircraft-type drones flying at extremely low altitudes from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
According to Romanenkov, the attack involved a total of 91 drones launched from various directions toward the presidential residence, passing through the Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver and Novgorod regions.
He said all Ukrainian drones were destroyed by Russian forces and air defense systems during aerial combat.
Romanenkov said that between the night of Dec. 28 and the morning of Dec. 29, Russian air defenses shot down 49 drones in the Bryansk region, one in the Smolensk region, and 41 in the Novgorod region.
Romanenkov said the attack pattern, the number of drones used, and their approach from the south, southwest and west directly toward the presidential residence clearly demonstrated that the operation was carefully planned and multi-layered.
He said no casualties or damage were reported on Russian territory as a result of the attack, adding that there was no damage to Putin’s residence.
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