Russia's Defense Ministry announced on 2/1 that Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), met with a US military attache. Kostyukov provided a device containing decoded guidance data and the controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that Russian air defense systems shot down in Novgorod province on 29/12/2025.
Kostyukov stated, "Guidance data in the memory, decoded by Russian experts, definitively confirms that the target of the attack was the complex belonging to the Russian President's residence in Novgorod province." He added, "We hope this will remove all doubts and help verify the truth."
Russia's military intelligence chief hands over a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle guidance device to the US military attache. Video: _Russian Defense Ministry_.
Russian officials claim Ukraine used 91 UAVs to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence on the night of 28/12/2025 and the early morning of 29/12/2025. Russian air defense systems reportedly shot down all the aircraft.
A day later, Russia released images of UAV wreckage lying on snow in a forest, stating each aircraft carried about 6 kg of explosives and additional material to increase damage.
US President Donald Trump on 29/12/2025 expressed anger over the information but later voiced skepticism about the incident. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine targeted another location in the same area as President Putin's residence.
NewsNation, a US news agency, cited an anonymous source on 31/12/2025, stating that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe had reported to President Trump that there was no evidence Ukraine launched an attack on Putin's residence.
Ukraine denied carrying out the attack, calling it "disinformation spread by Russia" aimed at dividing Ukraine from the US following a meeting between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Map of unmanned aerial vehicle flight paths targeting Novgorod on the night and early morning of 28-29/12/2025, released by Russia. Photo: _Russian Defense Ministry_.
Nguyen Tien (According to RIA Novosti, AP, Reuters)
