Overview
- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko framed the Dec. 29 drone strike on Russia’s Novgorod residence as an attempt to sabotage an emerging negotiation track.
- Russia’s foreign minister said Kyiv launched 91 UAVs at the site and that all were destroyed with no casualties or reported damage.
- Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin told President Trump the attack came soon after U.S.–Ukraine talks and warned of a “most serious” response with Russia’s negotiating stance to be reviewed.
- Lukashenko said some “hotheads” urged strikes on Ukrainian decision-making centers, but that Putin categorically refused.
- He added that Russia could hit residences used by Volodymyr Zelensky and noted neither side has targeted the other’s leader, while saying he had previously warned Putin about assassination risks.