- Russia, on Wednesday, accused Ukraine of a failed attempt
to assassinate President Vladimir
Putin in a drone attack on the Kremlin, and vowed revenge.
Kyiv denied any role in the alleged strike.
Video appears to show a flying object nearing the Kremlin's
domed spires before exploding.
Reuters has been unable to verify the footage.
The Kremlin said, Russia reserved
the right to retaliate.
And Russian hardliners demanded swift retribution
against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a statement, the Kremlin said, quote,
"Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin.
As a result of timely actions taken
by the military and special services
with the use of radar warfare systems,
the devices were put out of action."
It said fragments of drones were scattered
in the Kremlin grounds, but there
were no injuries or damage.
Putin, himself, was safe.
- Why would they accuse Ukraine of this at this moment?
It would be very interesting to hear your thoughts
on this alleged attack.
- At a news conference with leaders of Scandinavian nations
in Helsinki on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy denied his country tried to kill the Russian
President, and suggested going after Putin was the job
of an International Court.
VOLODYMR ZELENSKIY: You know, I can
repeat or repeat this message.
And I think it will-- at least will be
understandable for everybody.
We don't attack Putin or Moscow.
We fight on our territory.
We are defending our villages and cities.
We don't have, you know, enough weapons for this.
That's why we don't use it anywhere.
For us, that is the deficit.
We can't spend it.
And we didn't attack Putin.
We leave it to tribunal.
- Wednesday's purported strike is not the first time
Moscow accused Kyiv of launching drones into territory
it controls since Russian forces invaded
Ukraine more than a year ago.
Last week, the Russian-installed mayor
of Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea
blamed a fire at a fuel depot on an Ukrainian drone strike.
On Wednesday, smoke was seen billowing from another fire
in the Crimean port of Krasnodar,
which Russian authorities said was hit by a Ukrainian drone.
Ukraine typically declines to claim responsibility
for attacks on Russia or Russian-annexed Crimea,
though Kyiv officials have frequently
celebrated such attacks with cryptic or mocking remarks.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday,
said he cannot validate Russia's accusation
that Ukraine tried to assassinate
Putin in a drone attack.
And added, he would take anything
coming from the Kremlin with a, quote, "large shaker of salt."