The European Union’s top diplomat has rejected Russian allegations that Ukraine targeted government sites, describing the claims as a deliberate attempt to distract from ongoing peace efforts.
Kaja Kallas said Moscow was seeking to derail diplomatic momentum by making unfounded accusations against Ukraine.
She made the comments on social media following Russian claims that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on a residence linked to President Vladimir Putin.
No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians.
Kaja Kallas said.
Earlier this week, the Kremlin accused Ukraine of launching drones towards Putin’s private residence near Lake Valdai.
Russian officials warned the alleged incident could influence Moscow’s stance in peace negotiations.
State media and senior politicians in Russia echoed the claims with increasingly aggressive language.
Defence committee head Andrei Kartapolov described the alleged incident as an attack on Russia itself.
The attack is a strike on the heart of Russia. After what Ukraine has done, there can be no forgiveness.
Andrei Kartapolov said.
After initially refusing to provide proof, Russia’s military released footage it said showed evidence of the attempted attack.
The BBC said it was unable to independently verify the footage or confirm where it was recorded.
A Russian investigative outlet reported residents near the site said they heard no signs of an attack.
If something like that had happened, the whole city would have been talking about it.
One resident said.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry dismissed the evidence as unconvincing and poorly fabricated.
They are not serious even about fabricating the story.
Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the allegations and linked them to recent diplomatic progress.
Despite diplomacy, Russia has continued drone attacks across Ukraine, including a major strike on Odesa.
The attack left thousands without power as temperatures hovered near freezing.
Civilians in Kyiv expressed cautious hope that the conflict could end in 2026 despite ongoing uncertainty.