The Kremlin on Thursday accused the United States of playing the role of ‘mastermind’ in the drone attack which took place over the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was claimed to have been carried out by Ukraine.
“Decisions on such attacks are not made in Kyiv, but in Washington,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “Kyiv only does what it is told to do,” he added.
Peskov said that the security arrangements in Moscow are being stepped up by the Kremlin in the wake of World War II Victory Day celebrations which will take place next week in the city.
“Everything will be strengthened. Everything has already been strengthened in preparation for the Victory Day parade,” he said.
The spokesman further confirmed that Putin has been working in his office in the Kremlin on Thursday, a day after Kyiv was accused by Moscow of attacking it with drones and trying to assassinate the president.
“Putin is working in the Kremlin. He will have an important discussion with the economic development minister,” Peskov said.
The Russian foreign ministry, meanwhile, stated that Russia has been facing an “unprecedented” wave of Ukrainian “sabotage”, a day after it called the drone attack an act of “terrorism”.
“The terrorist and sabotage activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are gaining unprecedented momentum,” stated the Russian foreign ministry in a statement. It further said that Russia “reserves the right to take retaliatory measures.”
After the drone attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv had no connection with the reported drone attack in Kremlin.
“We don’t attack Putin, or Moscow, we fight on our territory,” Zelensky had stated in a press conference in Finland.
Peskov further stated that he knew Pope Francis was finding ways to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but he was not aware of the Vatican’s peace plans.
WATCH | War at Ukraine: Russia opens probe into Kremlin attack | Russia-Ukraine War
“We know that the pontiff is constantly thinking about peace, and we know that the pontiff is thinking about how this conflict can be ended. But we are not aware of any detailed plans that have been proposed by the Vatican in this context,” Peskov said.
Since Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February 2022, Pope Francis has proposed to act as a broker between Kyiv and Moscow and appealed for peace on a weekly basis.
Peskov said that the Vatican was involved in a peace mission on Sunday to resolve the conflict, but it was “not yet public”.
(With inputs from agencies)
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