MOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities accused Ukraine on Wednesday of trying to assault the Kremlin with two drones in a single day in an effort to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian authorities denied any involvement.
The Kremlin decried the alleged assault try as a “terrorist act” and mentioned Russian navy and safety forces “disabled” the drones earlier than they might strike. It didn’t elaborate.
A press release on the Kremlin’s web site mentioned particles from the unmanned aerial automobiles fell on the grounds of the seat of Russia’s authorities however didn’t trigger any harm. The assertion, which didn’t clarify what brought on the drones to interrupt up, mentioned no casualties had been reported.
A video printed in a single day on a neighborhood Moscow information Telegram channel, which appeared to have been shot throughout the river from the Kremlin, confirmed what regarded like smoke rising over the Kremlin.
According to the textual content accompanying the video, residents of a close-by residence constructing reported listening to bangs and seeing smoke at round 2:30 a.m. native time (7:30 p.m. Eastern.) It was unattainable to independently confirm the posted footage.
Ukraine’s presidential advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, argued that it could not make sense to focus on the Kremlin throughout Russia’s battle on his nation.
“We do not attack the Kremlin because, first of all, it does not solve any military problems. Absolutely. And this is extremely disadvantageous from the point of view of preparing our offensive measures,” Podolyak mentioned.
“And most importantly, it would allow Russia to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities. Why do we need this?” he added.
The Kremlin didn’t current any proof to again up its account, together with the allegation of an assassination try as Russia prepares to watch its annual Victory Day on Tuesday.
“We consider these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the president of Russia, carried out on the eve of the Victory Day, the parade on May 9, where foreign dignitaries are expected,” the Kremlin’s assertion learn.
Russia retains the fitting to reply “when and where it sees fit,” the assertion mentioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed Russian state information company RIA Novosti that Putin wasn’t within the Kremlin on the time and labored Wednesday from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence exterior Moscow.
The Kremlin added that Putin was protected and his schedule was unchanged. Peskov mentioned the Victory Day parade would happen as scheduled.
Shortly earlier than the information in regards to the alleged assault broke, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin issued a ban on utilizing drones within the Russian capital, with an exception for drones launched by authorities.
Sobyanin didn’t cite a cause for the ban, saying solely that it could stop “illegal use of drones that can hinder the work of law enforcement.”
A lawmaker who represents Crimea in Moscow, Mikhail Sheremet, informed Russian state media that the Kremlin ought to order a missile strike on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s residence in Kyiv in retaliation for Wednesday’s alleged incident.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”