Lavrov claims 91-drone attack on Putin’s residence, vows retaliation
The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, reported that on the night of 29 December 2025, there was an attempted large-scale attack on the state residence of the Russian President, Valdai, located in the Novgorod region. He described the incident as a reason to reconsider the terms of a peace agreement.
According to Russian media, Lavrov claimed that the attack involved 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, but that all were allegedly destroyed by Russian air defence systems.
No evidence of damage or casualties has been provided by the Russian side. Nevertheless, Lavrov called the event a move towards a policy of “state terrorism”. He emphasised that Moscow would not withdraw from the negotiation process to end the war, but that it would significantly revise its position in light of this incident, hinting at stricter conditions for reaching any agreements.
The Russian diplomatic service also issued an ultimatum, stating that the targets and timing of a “retaliatory strike” in response to the attack on the state residence have already been determined by the Russian military leadership. Lavrov stressed that an assault on a facility of such importance represents the crossing of another “red line”, requiring an immediate and severe response.
Following meetings with the American and Ukrainian leaders, Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia would continue to pursue the objectives of its full-scale war against Ukraine, acting according to the plans and directives of the Russian General Staff.
