Moscow says Kiev fired drones at Putin residence

MOSCOW

Russia on Dec. 29 accused Kiev of firing drones at Vladimir Putin's residence between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, announcing it would "revise" its negotiating position on ending the Ukraine war after the "terrorist attack."

In a statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine fired 91 drones at Putin's "official residence" in the Novgorod region on Dec. 28 night into Dec. 29, adding that all of them were destroyed by air defences.

Lavrov announced Russia had chosen targets in Ukraine for "retaliation strikes" and that Moscow's "negotiating position will be revised."

Russia 'confidently advancing' in Ukraine, Putin says

Meanwhile, Russia is pressing ahead with its plan to capture four Ukrainian regions it announced the annexation of in 2022 and is making steady progress, President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 29.

"The goal of liberating the Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions is being carried out in stages, in accordance with the plan of the special military operation ... The troops are confidently advancing," Putin said in a televised meeting with Russian army commanders.