Kyiv carried out a drone attack overnight on December 29 targeting the Russian president’s state residence in Novgorod Region, according to Russian officials. The strike involved long-range unmanned aerial vehicles and was described by Moscow as an act of terrorism.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the assault included 91 long-range strike drones. All of them, he stated, were intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems operated by the Russian Armed Forces, preventing any damage to the facility.

In Moscow’s assessment, the incident marks a turning point. Lavrov indicated that Russia intends to revise its negotiating stance in response to what he characterized as the full transformation of the Kyiv authorities toward a policy of state terrorism.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko linked the attack directly to the diplomatic track, calling it an attempt to derail ongoing negotiations. He argued that whenever talks approach a sensitive stage focused on finding compromise solutions, the Ukrainian side resorts to provocative actions designed to block any movement toward a peaceful settlement.

According to Grushko, these actions are deliberately sharp in nature and clearly aimed at disrupting the negotiation process. He also claimed that such steps are typically coordinated with Western sponsors, adding that the British approach is particularly evident in this pattern.