Ukraine launched an assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin overnight, Russia has claimed.
It said drones sent by Kyiv were aimed at Putin’s residence in the Kremlin citadel in what it described as “planned terrorist action”.
Russian officials said that the President was not injured and there was no major damage to the Kremlin’s buildings.
Ukraine has denied being behind the drone attack.
In a statement taking aim at the President Zelensky’s government, a Russian spokesman said:
“On Wednesday night, the Kyiv regime made an attempt to strike using a UAV the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin.
“As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the vehicles were disabled.”
Video footage circulating on Russian social media shows a pure of smoke over the top of the walled government complex in Moscow.
The country’s state-run news agency, RIA, added that the Kremlin had “assessed these actions as a planned terrorist act and an assassination attempt on the president on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade.”
In a statement taking aim at the President Zelensky’s government, a Russian spokesman said:
“On Wednesday night, the Kyiv regime made an attempt to strike using a UAV the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin.
“As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the vehicles were disabled.”
Video footage circulating on Russian social media shows a pure of smoke over the top of the walled government complex in Moscow.
The country’s state-run news agency, RIA, added that the Kremlin had “assessed these actions as a planned terrorist act and an assassination attempt on the president on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade.”
It said: “The Kremlin has assessed these actions as a planned terrorist act and an assassination attempt on the president on the eve of Victory Day, the May 9 Parade.”
The attack came despite Russia ramping up its air defences in Moscow in recent months.
There has been increased concern at the top of the government that Ukraine is planning to assassinated the Putin.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian President was not in the Kremlin at the time of the alleged strike.
He claimed that Putin intends to go about his government business as usual today.
Responding the the claims Kyiv was behind the attack, Ukraine presidential spokesman Mikhaylo Podolyak said:
“Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin.
“Ukraine does not attack the Kremlin because, firstly, that does not solve any military aims.
Oil depots were also ablaze in both Russia and Ukraine as both sides escalated a drone war targeting infrastructure.
Kyiv’s is expected to launch a spring counter-offensive against the invasion in the coming days.