Name: Russia says video shows evidence of attack on Putin's private residence | DW News
Uploaded: 2026-01-01T17:02:29.000Z
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Now, Ukraine has dismissed video footage presented by Russia as evidence of an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Vladimir Putin's residence.

Ukraine's Foreign minister described it as laughable.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched 91 drones at the residence in the Novgorod region and that Russian air defenses thwarted the attack.

Kyiv accuses Moscow of inventing the attack to block progress and talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

Well, let's look at this with Anna Matveyeva, who's a senior visiting research fellow at King's College London's Russia Institute.

Her research interests include conflict and security.

Let's start with the video that Russia released.

I think that it's important, the timing of the video and the timing of the incident.

I have to mention that it's not the most dramatic incident in the whole Russia Ukraine war, but

I don't think that the Russians have completely made it up because frankly speaking, why should they?

There is already a lot of other attacks going on and we also have Western silence because the Western rudders also were monitoring the skies.

And if they would say, no, we have registered no attack, we whatsoever, that would perhaps sound a bit more credible rather than we just have the statement from the Ukrainian side.

All right, so the silence of Ukraine's backers rings loud in your ears.

And if this was therefore a Ukrainian attack, what do you think its purpose might have been?

The significance of the incident is not in terms of damage or potential damage, but

in terms of the timing and in terms of the message it sends.

Because in December there were already two attacks.

There was an assassination in Moscow of a Russian general who was just going from his flat to his workplace trying to, to get into his private car.

Apparently that's something which has been well planned, prepared, organized.

Then there is this drone attack again, long range drones, again, targeting of a specific kind of civilian target.

So that gives a sense that the rules of engagement of this war are changing and the Russians response and say, okay, if you are escalating, we are also prepared to escalate and maybe you would not like it.

Right, so if this was a Ukrainian attack, do you think it was a serious attempt to try and kill the Russian president?

Or would it be perhaps more of a spectacular, just, just for show?

It is something which is sending a signal that we can do it and we can reach significant, significant symbolic targets.

But just one drone, if it managed to get through the Russian defenses, could have inflicted significant damage.

But the thing is that we are coming to a crucial time in the peace negotiation process, and

that's why this incident has importance much more than just the military side of things.

Let's talk about that timing, because the whole of this conversation has been based on the idea that it is.

Russia's claim that this is a Ukrainian attack is credible.

So this is where we're approaching this from.

This attack, if it, if it happened, happened at a time when President Zelensky was actually, actually

So if this was a Ukrainian attack, why would they choose that moment to carry it out, to send a certain signal to the Russian side that things can get worse for you?

Well, this is the rules of asymmetric warfare.

What you can and cannot do within the parameters of engagement.

Normally, they are kind of conventions and understandings rather than kind of the laws of war, if you like.

But this is also something which gives Russia some kind of sense that they can do something drastic.

And if Russia would be provoked into some kind of drastic response, that Ukraine can go back to President Trump and say, hey, this is what they are doing to us, and

And Anna Matveva from King's College, London.