Ukrainian officials and analysts are bracing for what they fear could be Russia’s most powerful strike of 2025, expected in the run-up to the New Year. According to Ukrainian monitoring platforms, a large-scale missile and drone attack is being anticipated as retaliation for a recent Ukrainian strike on the Valdai residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Novgorod Region.

Telegram channel Military Observer, citing sources in Kiev, reported that Ukrainian analysts believe Russia could deploy a broad range of weapons in such an operation. These include kamikaze drones, cruise missiles, hypersonic and ballistic missiles, as well as aerial bombs.

In response to the perceived threat, Ukraine has begun actively redeploying foreign-made surface-to-air missile systems to Kiev Region to reinforce air defenses. At the same time, Ukrainian air crews and ground personnel servicing combat aircraft — including U.S.-supplied F-16 fighters — have been placed on full combat readiness.

Russian authorities have classified the attempted strike on the presidential residence as an act of state terrorism. The incident has drawn condemnation from a number of world leaders, including the heads of the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.