U.S. assessment on alleged drone strike
A CIA assessment found that Ukraine did not attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin at his country residence, a source told NBC News. The agency concluded Ukrainian forces were targeting a military objective in the same region, not the president’s home.
Presidential briefing and reactions
CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed President Donald Trump on the finding; the Wall Street Journal first reported the briefing. Afterward, Trump shared a New York Post editorial criticizing Russian claims. The CIA declined to comment publicly.
Claims, denials, and context
Russia said Ukrainian drones struck Putin’s residence on Lake Valdai in Novgorod, but has offered no public evidence. Putin raised the allegation in a phone call with Trump following a nearly three-hour meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. Trump and Zelenskyy said they were “very close” to a deal after that meeting; the Kremlin acknowledged progress but maintained hard-line territorial demands.
Zelenskyy strongly denied the allegation on social media, calling it a fabrication meant to derail peace talks and justify further attacks on Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry described the incident as “a terrorist attack” using long-range UAVs.
Broader wartime activity
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has targeted facilities such as oil depots that it says support Russia’s war effort. Russia insists it does not target civilians, yet drones and missiles have repeatedly struck Ukrainian residential areas and critical utilities that provide heat and power.
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