CIA Disputes Putin’s Claim of Drone Attack on His Residence, Undercutting Story Told to Trump
The Central Intelligence Agency has assessed that Ukraine was not targeting a residence used by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent drone incident in northern Russia, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The finding directly undercuts a claim Putin relayed to Donald Trump during a phone call earlier this week.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed Trump on Wednesday with the agency’s assessment, officials said, concluding that the allegation Putin made publicly and privately to the U.S. president was not supported by U.S. intelligence.
From Acceptance to Skepticism
Russia had alleged that Ukrainian drones attempted to strike Putin’s home near Valdai on Monday. Trump initially appeared to accept the Russian account, telling reporters he was disturbed by what he had been told.
“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump said at the time, adding that he was “very angry” after hearing the claim from Putin. He acknowledged it was “possible” the allegation was false, but said, “President Putin told me this morning it did.”
Following Ratcliffe’s briefing, Trump’s posture shifted. On Wednesday, he shared a New York Post editorial on Truth Social arguing that the supposed attack “likely never happened,” signaling growing skepticism inside the administration.
Ukraine Denies, Evidence Withheld
Ukraine has repeatedly and emphatically denied any attempt to target Putin’s residence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the allegation outright.
Even Moscow’s own statements raised questions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia could not publicly provide evidence of the alleged strike and urged journalists to accept the Kremlin’s account an appeal that drew skepticism from Western officials and media outlets.
The Russian defense ministry claimed Wednesday that 91 drones were launched from northern Ukraine toward Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, with more than half intercepted hundreds of kilometers away and the remainder brought down over Novgorod between 3 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. local time. The ministry released a map purporting to show drone flight paths, but did not explain how it determined the drones’ intended destination.
European Officials Question Motives
European leaders also expressed doubt. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, described the claim as a “deliberate distraction.” Several European officials said privately that the allegation appeared timed to complicate diplomatic momentum rather than reflect a verified military event.
The timing is notable. Putin raised the allegation a day after Trump met Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago and publicly expressed optimism about prospects for ending the war. Some European officials believe the claim was intended to slow or derail U.S.-led peace efforts without directly confronting Trump.
Intelligence, Diplomacy, and the Stakes
The CIA’s assessment first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes amid intensive back-channel talks led by Trump and his envoys aimed at negotiating an end to the conflict. U.S. officials stress that intelligence judgments are continually updated, but said the agency’s conclusion was firm enough to brief the president directly. CNN reported that it reached out to the White House for comment; the CIA declined to comment publicly.
Putin’s assertion that Ukraine attempted to strike his residence briefly influenced the U.S. president’s public posture. But U.S. intelligence now says the claim is not credible, reinforcing Ukraine’s denial and adding weight to European suspicions that the episode was designed to shift the diplomatic narrative rather than reflect a verified attack.
As negotiations intensify, the episode underscores how unverified battlefield claims can ripple through diplomacy at the highest levels and how intelligence assessments can just as quickly recalibrate the response.
