Russia has issued a chilling threat to Ukraine after Moscow accused Kyiv of launching a drone strike on Vladimir Putin’s residence. Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said on Monday (December 29) that Moscow had downed 91 long-range drones over Putin’s Valdai residence in Novgorod.

However, within minutes of the declaration, Ukraine‘s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, dismissed the claim, dubbing it “another round of lies”, warning that Russia was preparing for a strike on Kyiv’s Government buildings. Mr Lavrov said that because of the attack, the Kremlin’s position in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would “be revised”. He told Russian state media: “Such reckless actions will not go unanswered”. The UK has also been accused of involvement in the attack.

In a statement posted on X, Mr Zelensky said: “This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war”.

Meanwhile, Alexander Grushko, Russia’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, has claimed Britain was involved in the alleged attack to disrupt the peace process.

Putin is reported to have raised the alleged attack in a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday, leaving the US president “shocked”, according to Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin spokesman.

Putin’s heavily fortified Valdai presidential residence is situated on the shore of Lake Valdai in Novgorod Oblast, northwestern Russia, about 217 miles northwest of Moscow.

It was not clear whether Putin was at the residence at the time of the alleged strike.

The claim came just hours after Mr Trump hosted Mr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Sunday (December 28), where the US president claimed a deal was “closer than ever before”.