Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier alleged that Ukraine’s forces had carried out an overnight attack using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and targeted Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region.
File image | PM Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in New Delhi on December 5, 2025. (Photo: IANS/PMO)
Following reports that Ukraine carried out a drone attack on one of the residences of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed “deep concerns” over the development and called on both sides to remain focused on peace efforts.
Writing on X, PM Modi said diplomacy remains the most viable path to achieving peace and ending hostilities in the nearly four-year-long war.
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“Deeply concerned by reports of the targeting of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Ongoing diplomatic efforts offer the most viable path toward ending hostilities and achieving peace. We urge all concerned to remain focused on these efforts and to avoid any actions that could undermine them,” the Indian Prime Minister posted on Tuesday.
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Deeply concerned by reports of the targeting of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation. Ongoing diplomatic efforts offer the most viable path toward ending hostilities and achieving peace. We urge all concerned to remain focused on these efforts and to avoid any…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2025
Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that Ukraine’s forces had carried out an overnight attack using 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The drones targeted Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region, Lavrov added.
The Kremlin said the attack has forced Russia to review its position in ongoing peace negotiations to end the Ukraine war.
“Given the final degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime, which has switched to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be revised,” Lavrov said.
Russia did not say where President Putin was when the alleged attack happened.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky refuted Russia’s claims that his country’s forces targeted President Putin’s residence, and termed it as a ploy by Moscow to derail the peace talks.
Calling the allegation “typical Russian lies”, Zelensky said the Kremlin was looking for excuses to continue attacks on Ukraine.
Zelensky posted on X: “It is critical that the world doesn’t stay silent now. We cannot allow Russia to undermine the work on achieving a lasting peace.”
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said the country’s air defence systems neutralised all 91 drones that were used in the attack.
No casualties or damage to infrastructure was reported in the attack, he stated further in a statement shared on Telegram.
Lavrov, meanwhile, reportedly said Moscow would continue to remain engaged in the talks with the US.
The development comes close on the heels of a crucial meeting between President Donald Trump and Zelensky in Florida on Sunday. The talks at the weekend meeting focused on a revised peace plan to bring the war to an end.
Zelensky had said after the meeting that there was a “possibility to finish this war” in 2026. He, however, doubted whether Putin wanted peace.
“I don’t trust Putin and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine,” Zelensky told Fox News.
After the talks, Zelensky also said that the US had offered Ukraine security guarantees for 15 years. Trump, on his part, stated that the peace deal at this point was close to 95 per cent done.
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