Kremlin accuses Washington of being behind alleged drone attack

MISE À DAY

Russia on Thursday accused the United States of ordering the alleged drone attack on the Kremlin the day before that it blames on Ukraine, while admitting it faces a wave “without previous” of “sabotage” on its soil.

On Wednesday, Moscow claimed to have intercepted two Ukrainian drones which were targeting the Kremlin, denouncing an attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. kyiv denied any involvement and Washington questioned the Russian accusations.

“kyiv and Washington's efforts to deny responsibility (in the alleged attack) are totally ridiculous. Decisions about such attacks are not made in kyiv, but in Washington. Kiev only applies what is asked of it,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

“Washington must understand that we know it,” he said. to the press.

Mr. Peskov also claimed that Mr. Putin is working inside the Kremlin on Thursday, where he will have “an important discussion with the Minister of Economic Development”.

After the alleged incursion of drones into the heart of Moscow, a first since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, security measures will be reinforced, underlined Mr. Peskov.

“All of this is going to be reinforced, of course, and everything has already been reinforced in the context of the preparations for the military parade” on May 9, when Russia celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany with great fanfare, including a parade in Moscow's Red Square, the Kremlin spokesman said.

He added that “specialists” were “conducting in-depth analyses” to understand how the alleged drone attack could have happened.

The Russian capital is located some 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and the Kremlin is located in an ultra-secure district. Russian accusations of an alleged Ukrainian drone incursion surprised many analysts.

Kiev on Wednesday denied any involvement in the incident, even accusing Russia of having “staged” it to justify a possible escalation of the conflict to come.

This attack reported by the Kremlin comes as drone incursions and acts of bomb sabotage have multiplied in recent days on Russian soil.

“Acts of terrorism and sabotage by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are taking on an unprecedented scale,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.