ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condemned reports regarding the targeting of the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as a “heinous act.”
In a post on X, Sharif stated, “Pakistan condemns the reported targeting of the residence of His Excellency Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation.”
He emphasized that such an act “constitutes a grave threat to peace, security and stability, particularly at a time when efforts aimed at peace are underway,” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s rejection of “all forms of violence and acts intended to undermine security and threaten peace.”
While Sharif did not name any party responsible, Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting the attack and vowed retaliation. Kyiv dismissed the allegation as baseless, claiming it was intended to disrupt difficult peace negotiations. The incident has fueled tensions between the two warring nations and cast doubt on prospects for ending the conflict.
According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump said that Putin informed him of the alleged attack during a phone call on Monday morning, which had angered him.
Nevertheless, Trump expressed optimism about a potential peace deal. “It’s one thing to be offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that. And I learned about it from President Putin today. I was very angry about it,” Trump told reporters.
On Sunday, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Florida and described progress toward a potential peace agreement as “getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” though he acknowledged that “thorny” territorial issues remained unresolved.
Russian forces instructed to gain full control of Zaporizhzhia region
Meanwhile, Putin struck a defiant tone on Monday, instructing Russian forces to continue their campaign to gain full control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. The Kremlin reiterated demands for Kyiv to withdraw forces from the remaining part of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
Following the call with Putin, Trump told reporters outside his Palm Beach, Florida residence that he had no further information regarding the alleged attack. “I don’t like it, it’s not good,” he said. Asked whether US intelligence had evidence of the attack, he replied, “We’ll find out.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine had attempted to attack Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region west of Moscow on December 28–29 using 91 long-range drones, all of which were reportedly destroyed by Russian air defenses. No casualties or damage were reported, according to Russian media.
Lavrov described the alleged attack as “state terrorism” and warned that “such reckless actions will not go unanswered,” adding that targets for retaliatory strikes had already been selected.
Reuters said it could not independently verify Lavrov’s claims, and no evidence of the attack has been provided by Russian officials. Putin’s whereabouts during the incident remain unclear.
Lavrov also noted that the attack coincided with ongoing negotiations over a potential peace deal and said Russia would review its negotiating stance but would not abandon the talks.
Denying any involvement, Zelenskiy accused Russia of using the allegations to justify potential strikes on government buildings in Kyiv. “It is clear that we had a meeting with Trump yesterday, and it is clear that for the Russians, if there is no scandal between us and America, and we are making progress for them it is a failure, because they do not want to end this war,” Zelenskiy said via WhatsApp. He added, “I am sure they are simply preparing the ground for strikes, probably on the capital, probably on government buildings.”
The episode underscores heightened tensions in the Ukraine conflict, even as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a resolution, highlighting the fragility of the peace process amid escalating accusations.
