Moscow has accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin in a double drone strike on the Kremlin overnight.
“Ukraine launched two drone attacks overnight intended to strike the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his office has reported. The aircraft were downed using electronic warfare measures and caused no casualties or damage, according to a presidential administration statement. Moscow considers the incident an act of terrorism.
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| A still image taken from a video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building during the alleged Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia. |
The attack occurred late on Tuesday night, and both unmanned aircraft fell on the grounds of the Kremlin in Moscow, according to the president’s office, who also confirmed that the Russian leader's schedule was not affected.
‘We consider this a preplanned terrorist action and an attempt against the Russian president’, it added. The incident happened ‘ahead of Victory Day and the parade on May 9th, when foreign guests plan to be present’.
Russia reserves the right to retaliate in a manner, place and time of its choosing, the statement noted.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the president was absent from the Kremlin when the drones were downed. He is currently at the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow Region, to the west of the capital.
There is footage circulating on social media, which purports to show the aftermath, with a plume of smoke juxtaposed against the night cityscape above the territory of the historic seat of Russian power.
Another short clip appears to show the moment one of the drones exploded over the Kremlin Senate, which hosts the presidential administration and also serves as a working residence of the Russian head of state. It was not clear what caused the blast, though two people can be seen in the video on the dome of the building”. -RT
Russia “reserves the right to retaliate anywhere and anytime it deems necessary” in response to the drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence, the Kremlin has said.
This drone attack on the Kremlin marks the deepest penetration of Russian airspace since a German 19-year-old named Matthias Rust landed a small single-engine plane on the fringes of Red Square in 1987.
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Mathias Rust and his Cessna 172, resting in Red Square after landing. |
The aerial assault comes less than a week before President Putin and other top officials, as well as foreign guests, are arranged to attend the annual Red Square military parade to celebrate the Soviet triumph in World War II.
And, despite the pair of attack drones crashing into the highly fortified Kremlin citadel overnight, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that the parade will take place as scheduled.