Russian officials have issued unusually direct and personal threats against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following allegations that Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on a Russian presidential residence in the Novgorod region on December 29th.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the claim during statements Monday, though he provided no supporting evidence for the assertion. President Zelenskyy swiftly dismissed the allegation as Russian disinformation.
The response from Moscow’s security establishment has been notably aggressive. Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and prime minister who now serves on Russia’s Security Council, accused Zelenskyy of attempting to undermine ongoing peace negotiations sponsored by the United States. In a post to social media, Medvedev wrote that Zelenskyy “wants war” and suggested the Ukrainian leader would need to remain “in hiding for the rest of his worthless life.”
In separate communications on Telegram, Medvedev went further, appearing to suggest that Zelenskyy should be “exhibited” in St. Petersburg following what he termed the Ukrainian president’s “imminent demise.” Such language represents an extraordinary departure from typical diplomatic discourse, even amid the ongoing conflict.
Kiril Dmitriev, a Kremlin aide who serves as CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and has participated in negotiations with American representatives, also questioned Zelenskyy’s future in a social media post asking, “Who is after Zelenskyy?”
The Kremlin reported that President Donald Trump was briefed on the alleged attack during a Monday telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Yuri Ushakov, a senior Putin aide, the American president expressed both surprise and anger upon learning of the reported incident.
Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump confirmed he had been informed of the allegation. “President Putin called me about it early in the morning. He said he was attacked. It’s no good,” Trump stated. The president referenced his decision to halt the transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, saying, “I stopped the Tomahawks. I didn’t want that.”
Trump drew a distinction between defensive operations and attacks on residences, stating, “It’s one thing to be offensive because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that. I was very angry about it.”
When questioned about evidence supporting Putin’s claim, President Trump acknowledged uncertainty. “You’re saying maybe the attack didn’t take place—that’s possible too, I guess,” he said. “But President Putin told me this morning it did.”
President Zelenskyy categorically rejected the Russian reports, calling them “yet another lie” and suggesting Moscow was laying groundwork for future actions.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of ongoing American-sponsored peace negotiations, raising questions about the timing and veracity of Russian claims. Russian officials have threatened retaliatory strikes within Ukraine.
This development represents a significant escalation in rhetoric, with personal threats against a sitting head of state rarely articulated so directly by government officials. The situation remains fluid as both sides present conflicting narratives about events on December 29th.
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