Reuters
Kaja Kallas accused the Kremlin of trying to derail the peace process with allegations of a Ukrainian attack on government sites
The EU’s top diplomat has called Moscow’s claims that Ukraine targeted Russian government sites a “deliberate distraction” and an attempt to derail the peace process.
Kaja Kallas’ comments on social media appear to be a reference to the Kremlin’s allegation that Ukraine attempted a drone strike on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences.
“No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians,” Kallas wrote on social media.
Earlier this week Moscow accused Ukraine of targeting Putin’s private home on Lake Valdai in north-west Russia.
Russia would review its position in the ongoing peace negotiations as a result, the Kremlin said.
Since Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov first shared the claims, Russian state media and politicians have discussed the alleged attack in increasingly incendiary tones.
“The attack is a strike on the heart of Russia,” said Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee. “After what [Ukraine] has done, there can be no forgiveness.”
Although the Kremlin initially said it saw no point in sharing proof of the alleged attack, on Wednesday the Russian army released what it said was evidence of the attempted strike.
It included a map allegedly showing that the drones were launched from the Sumy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine and a video of a downed drone lying in snowy woodland. A serviceman standing next to the wreckage claims it is a Ukrainian Chaklun drone.
The BBC hasn’t been able to verify the footage, and it is not possible to locate where it was shot.
The profile of the wrecked UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) does bear similarities to Ukrainian-produced Chakluns – but because the components of the drone pictured are inexpensive and widely available online, they cannot be conclusively traced to the Ukrainian military.
Russian defence ministry
Russia’s defence ministry released a map which it claimed showed the path of the drones launched by Ukraine
Russia’s defence ministry also released a video of what it said was a local resident who described hearing a rocket-like noise at the time of the alleged attack.
However, one Russian investigative media outlet said it had spoken to more
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