© Ostorozhno Novosti/Handout via ReutersA still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building in Moscow, Russia, May 3, 2023
Ukraine is denying Russian officials' claims that it attempted to carry out a drone attack on the Kremlin on Wednesday. The country's leaders say that they only see downsides to attempting such an attack, since it'd likely invite Russian escalation.
"Russia is clearly preparing a large-scale terrorist attack." Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter this morning after videos of the claimed attack circulated on social media.
"Ukraine wages an exclusively defensive war and does not attack targets on the territory of the Russian Federation," he asserted. "What for? This does not solve any military issue. But it gives [Russia] grounds to justify its attacks on civilians." Podolyak wrote that he believes the attack indicates "the guerrilla activities of local resistance forces."
Earlier today, Russia claimed that its "electronic warfare systems" had taken down two drones near the Kremlin, which it said were aimed at President Vladimir Putin's residence. Russia's state-owned TASS outlet reported that there were no casualties in the attack and that Putin was not in Moscow at the time.
Videos circulated on social media of an object crashing into the roof of the Kremlin's senate building and exploding. Their veracity has not been confirmed.
The Kremlin is already using the attack as a pretext for escalation, characterizing the incident "as a premeditated terrorist attack and an attempted assassination of the president of the Russian federation."
And a senior Russian lawmaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, said: "We will demand the use of weapons capable of stopping and destroying the Kyiv terrorist regime."
Comment: Conveniently, Zelensky was
visiting Finland at the time, and somehow found it expedient to extend his stay as news of the attack broke. Was this attack launched without his knowledge?
The Finnish presidency said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a surprise visit to Finland on Wednesday to take part in a summit of the leaders of the five Nordic countries.
"In order to be in NATO and support alliances to gain support, fundamental diplomatic work must be done. Ukraine is doing it today," Daria Zarivna, Ukraine's presidential communications adviser wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky is scheduled to meet with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, whose nation joined NATO in April, to talk about "Ukraine's defence struggle."
The Ukrainian leader will also hold bilateral talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Norway's Jonas Gahr Store, Denmark's Mette Frederiksen and Iceland's Katrin Jakobsdottir.
All of the Nordic countries have pledged both financial and military support to Ukraine following Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Military Summary discusses Russia's potential retaliations:
Meanwhile *elensky is flying on planes with NATO protection.
Rumor has it the planes that crashed into the World Trade
Building were remotely controlled and on top of that
rumor has it Russia displayed a missile that went
450 units into the ground and killed about
450 NATO dimwits in one fell swoop.
I wonder which of these rumors
are true - all or none of a few.
Russia has the missiles - Russia has the communications - NATO is toast and so is the UK and the EU.
Good luck Charles when you become the king of a kingdom that is not United and that nobody respects.
And let me get you some Hellman's mayonnaise you piece of crap pathetic twit.
By the way - your momma told me to say that to you.
She whispered in my ear.
your days are
numbered