Russia today repeated its unverified report that it shot down 91 Ukrainian drones aimed at Putin’s residence in Novgorod. Ukraine has vociferously denied that the incident ever took place.
Known as Dolgiye Borody, or Long Beards, the compound in the Russian Northwest has in the past housed the likes of Josef Stalin and Nikita Krushchev in the glory days of the Soviet Union.
President Trump sounded almost as if he wanted to side with the Russian account, replying to a reporter’s question: “You’re saying, maybe the attack didn’t take place. That’s possible too, I guess, but President Putin told me this morning it did.”
This exchange with the press took place after Trump’s “very good” and “productive” phone call with Putin, as part of his peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. Russia has yet to release any evidence of the attack.
Russia has said the “attack” gives them justification to up the offensive on Kyiv in response. Prior to the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting, Russia did just that, increasing drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine, however, admits to other assassination attempts. Recent reports confirm the deaths of several Russian military figures, including Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, killed by a Moscow car bomb in late December.
