Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region, though it did not disclose his whereabouts at the time of the alleged incident. On Wednesday, Russia's defence ministry released a video it said showed a drone used in the attack after it was brought down.
The nighttime footage shows a damaged drone lying in the snow in a forested area. According to the ministry, the alleged strike was "targeted, carefully planned, and carried out in stages."
❗️First Footage Of Downed Drone Used In Attack Against President Putin's Residence
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) December 31, 2025
The vehicle carried a 6-kilogram explosive charge.
📹: 🇷🇺 MoD pic.twitter.com/zrAavAxMyP
The ministry further claimed that the drone contained a high-explosive component packed with multiple striking elements, designed to cause damage to people and civilian infrastructure. It said the intended target was a protected facility in the Valdai district of the Novgorod region.
US intelligence rejects Russian claim of Ukraine drone plot against Putin
Earlier on Wednesday, US national security officials concluded that Ukraine did not attempt to target President Putin or any of his residences in a reported drone operation, countering Moscow's allegation that Kyiv sought to assassinate the Russian leader, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
The assessment is based on a Central Intelligence Agency evaluation that found no evidence of any attempted attack on Putin, according to a US official familiar with the intelligence findings. The CIA declined to comment publicly.
US intelligence agencies determined that Ukraine had been planning to strike a military objective located in the same broader region as Putin's country residence, but not in close proximity to it, the official said, according to the WSJ.
US President Trump appeared to dismiss Russia's allegation by sharing a link on Truth Social to a New York Post editorial questioning whether the strike had occurred and reposting the headline: "Putin 'attack' bluster shows Russia is the one standing in the way of peace."
Putin greets Russians on New Year, expresses confidence in achieving nation's goals
In his New Year address to a nation spread across 11 time zones, on Wednesday, Putin expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its goals and continue to move forward. In his pre-recorded message, broadcast across the country minutes before midnight in each time zone, Putin said Russia relied on its own strength and the unity of its people.
The address was first aired in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in Russia's far east, facing the US state of Alaska across the Bering Strait. "We rely on our own strength, on those who are close to us, who are near and dear to us, and we are always ready to lend a shoulder," Putin said in the three-minute-and-20-second message.
(With inputs from agencies)