White House Rejects Russian Claim That US Was Behind Attack Targeting Putin

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby answers questions at a press briefing with reporters at the White House in Washington on April 20, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

White House national security spokesman John Kirby on May 4 rejected an accusation by a top Russian official that the United States was behind a reported drone attack targeting the Kremlin residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the allegation in a briefing to reporters, claiming without providing evidence that Ukraine had acted on U.S. orders with the alleged drone attack on the Kremlin citadel on the night of May 3.

“We know very well that decisions about such actions, about such terrorist attacks, are made not in Kyiv, but in Washington,” Peskov said. “And Kyiv does what it is told to do. We know that often even the goals themselves are not determined by Kyiv, but they are determined in Washington and then taken to Kyiv so that Kyiv implements them.”

During an interview on “Morning Joe,“ Kirby denied any U.S. involvement and accused the Kremlin spokesperson of lying.

“I can assure you that there was no involvement by the United States in this. Whatever it was did not involve us,” he said. “We had nothing to do with this,” he added.

Kirby also said that it remains unclear what exactly happened at Putin’s residence.

“We still don’t really know what happened,” he said, adding that Washington is assessing the situation.

According to a statement released by Russia’s presidential press service, a drone attack occurred on May 3. Both drones fell on the grounds of the Kremlin in Moscow—without causing casualties or material damage—after being disabled by “electronic warfare measures,” according to the statement.

A still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building during a reported drone attack in Moscow, Russia, on May 3, 2023. Ostorozhno Novosti/Handout via Reuters

Putin wasn’t in the Kremlin complex when the alleged attacks occurred, Peskov told reporters on May 3.

“The president always maintains calmness, composure, [and] clarity in assessments and in the commands that he gives in such difficult extreme situations,” he said.

Shortly after the reported incident, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a ban on all unauthorized drone flights—effective immediately—throughout the Russian capital.

Zelenskyy Responds

Ukraine, meanwhile, has denied any involvement in the reported attack, which was captured in an unverified video showing two flying objects approaching the Kremlin and one exploding with a bright flash. The video’s authenticity has yet to be confirmed.

“We don’t attack Putin or Moscow,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a news conference, in response to Moscow’s accusation. “We fight on our territory. We’re defending our villages and cities.”

Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak claimed Russia’s allegation of Ukraine launching a drone strike over the Kremlin was an attempt “to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told The Washington Post that Russian accusations of Ukraine attempting to assassinate Putin with drones should be taken “with a very large shaker of salt.”

Blinken said he has “seen the reports,” but noted that he can’t validate them.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News