Cyprus Times

Russia Claims Recovery of Flight Data from Drone Targeting Putin's Residence

Published January 1, 2026, 16:06
Russia Claims Recovery of Flight Data from Drone Targeting Putin's Residence

Russian intelligence services claim to have recovered the flight data log from a Ukrainian drone allegedly aimed at Vladimir Putin's presidential residence in Novgorod. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, decoding the data confirmed that the target was a facility within the presidential estate. Moscow has labeled the attack a "terrorist act" and announced it will share the information with the US side. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the attack involved 91 drones, all of which were reportedly shot down by Russian air defense forces. However, Moscow is considering revising its negotiating stance on the Ukrainian issue in light of the incident. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the attack would not affect dialogue with the United States, but warned that Russia would respond to the Ukrainian attack. He also accused the attack of undermining the efforts of the US president. The Russian announcement comes in response to leaks from the CIA regarding the final target of the drone attack. Moscow seeks to present evidence supporting its claims of Ukrainian aggression and justifying its own actions.