Russia accused Ukraine yesterday of attempting to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in Moscow after two drones crashed into the Kremlin’s Senate Palace early that morning, promising retaliation. No injuries or major damage were reported, and officials said Putin was not at the Kremlin at the time. Ukrainian officials denied the accusations while noting the statement provided Russia with a pretext to escalate the conflict.
Several unverified videos show drones flying over the Kremlin before exploding and falling onto a domed structure. Russian leaders claimed its air defenses had intercepted the drones, though Western analysis could not confirm that solely from the footage. Ukraine—whose border is a few hundred miles from Moscow—insists it does not attack Russian territory, though long-range Ukrainian drones have been found in Russia recently.
The accusations come ahead of a likely Ukrainian counteroffensive, and as military analysts report total war casualties during the conflict have surpassed 360,000, with 20,000 Russians killed in action since December.
