Overview
- The Wall Street Journal, citing national security officials, reports the CIA concluded the strike near Putin’s Novgorod residence was not aimed at him and likely sought a military objective in the area.
- Ukraine denies trying to hit the residence, calling Russia’s allegation a complete fabrication.
- Russian authorities had claimed a large-scale operation involving 91 long-range drones was directed toward the Novgorod presidential residence.
- Separately, Russia’s Investigative Committee says a New Year’s drone attack on Russian-controlled Horli in Kherson killed 27 people, including two children, with cafes and a hotel reported hit.
- Independent verification of both incidents remains limited due to restricted access to occupied territory and competing state accounts.