"There were neither explosions nor buzzing": Valdai residents on alleged drone attack on Putin's residence

Residents of Valdai in Russia's Novgorod Oblast say they neither saw nor heard any drone strikes or air defence activity on the night of 28-29 December, despite Russian authorities' claims of a drone attack on Russian leader Vladimir Putin's residence.

Source: The Moscow Times, citing the outlet Mozhem Obyasnit

Details: According to journalists, 14 residents of Valdai interviewed by Mozhem Obyasnit said they did not hear the characteristic buzzing of drones or any explosions that night. They also said they did not receive SMS alerts about an air threat, which are usually sent in the event of an attack.

One source noted that if something like this had actually happened in the town, it would have been widely discussed by residents. "There was neither buzzing nor explosions," he said.

The Moscow Times notes that the Russian leader's residence, known as Dolgye Borody, is located northeast of Valdai, separated from the town by Lake Valdai.

Valdai itself has a population of around 14,000. As the outlet adds, local residents usually know when Putin is staying at the residence, particularly because of the noise from helicopters, which is difficult to miss.

Previously:

• On 29 December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukraine had struck the residence of Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the night of 28-29 December, warning that Russia's "negotiating position" would be revised as a result.
• Lavrov claimed that overnight, Ukraine attacked Putin's residence in Russia's Novgorod Oblast (probably Valdai) using 91 attack UAVs. He claimed that Russian air defence systems destroyed all the drones. Lavrov said that "Russia's negotiating position will be revised", but added that Russia does not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process with the United States regarding Ukraine.
• Ukraine has officially denied these claims.
• "Another lie by Russia. Obviously, yesterday we had the meeting with Trump, and obviously for the Russians, if there is no quarrel between America and us, and we have progress instead, then that is a failure for them. They don't want to end this war. They are only capable of ending it under pressure. And so they were looking, I am convinced, for reasons… and they are going further," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Russia's statements about alleged attempts to attack Putin's residence were an effort to fabricate a pretext and false justification for further Russian attacks on Ukraine.
• US President Donald Trump said he was unaware of any alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin's residence but would look into the circumstances.

Background:

• In 2021, the Russian organisation the Anti-Corruption Foundation published a video about the official but secret country residence of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin on Lake Valdai in Novgorod Oblast. The group said that Putin had four residences: the Kremlin, Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow Oblast, Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi, and Dolgye Borody (Valdai or Uzhin) in Novgorod Oblast.
• In 2023, the investigative media outlet Proekt (Project) reported that a secret railway line and a network of stations had been built for Putin, leading to his residences.
• In April 2023, it became known that a Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and gun system had been installed at Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi, where one of Putin's secret residences is located.
• In October 2024, the main building at Putin's residence in Sochi was demolished, reportedly because he had become afraid to visit the resort following Ukrainian drone attacks.

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