May 3, 2023 at 1:10 p.m. CET
Updated 36 minutes ago
video caption,
WATCH: Russian video circulates following claims of Kremlin attack
Russia said it shot down two drones aimed at the Kremlin in Moscow last night and accused Ukraine of trying to kill President Vladimir Putin.
Unconfirmed footage on social media appeared to show an object flying over the Kremlin before a small explosion.
Ukraine said it had nothing to do with the drone strike.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s spokesman said Ukraine was focused on liberating its own territory after Russia invaded last year.
Another official told the BBC the reported incident indicated that Russia could be preparing “a large-scale terrorist provocation” in Ukraine.
Russia said the two drones aimed at the Kremlin were deactivated with electronic radar systems. Putin’s spokesman said he was not in the Kremlin at the time.
In a statement, the Kremlin said: “Last night the Kiev regime tried to launch an attack on the Kremlin residence of the President of the Russian Federation using unmanned aerial vehicles.”
She considers this “a planned act of terrorism and an assassination attempt on the President” and Russia “reserves the right to take retaliatory action wherever and whenever deemed necessary”.
Mr Putin has a very high level of personal protection and the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg says it is amazing to think that drones could have gotten anywhere near the Kremlin.
The Russian leader is unharmed and his schedule will continue as usual, the Kremlin said. He was working in Novo Ogaryovo near Moscow on Wednesday.
Footage released on Russian social media showed smoke over central Moscow in the early hours of Wednesday.
Fragments of the drones fell on the Kremlin compound, but nobody was injured and there was no damage to the buildings, the Kremlin said.
The Kremlin also noted that the incident happened shortly before Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade, which was expected to be attended by foreign dignitaries.
The parade will take place as planned, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin as saying.
“What happened in Moscow obviously aims to escalate the situation before May 9,” said Ukrainian Presidential Spokesman Sergei Nikiforov.
Moscow’s mayor announced a ban on unauthorized drone flights over the city on Wednesday.
Drone flights would require special government approval, Sergei Sobyanin said.
Russian authorities have cited security reasons and attacks by pro-Ukrainian forces for the changes.
There have been explosions and fires in Russia in recent weeks.