Drone Attack on Kremlin Residence Escalates Tensions Between Russia and Ukraine

Late on the night of May 3, there was a drone attack on Vladimir Putin's Kremlin residence, according to a statement from the Kremlin press service. Fortunately, the Russian President was not present at the time of the attack. After the incident, Russian commentators called for a retaliatory strike against Ukraine, with some demanding a "methodical, systematic and ruthless" response. Kiev denied involvement in the incident, explaining that it would only give Russia grounds to justify its attacks on civilians in Ukraine.

The first videos of smoke over one of the Kremlin's buildings appeared on a Moscow neighborhood group on the same night. Later, the Kremlin press service reported the attempted drone strike on the Kremlin residence, with several other videos subsequently emerging online.

Russian politicians and pro-government bloggers called for increased attacks on Ukraine, claiming that Kiev had crossed "red lines." State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin referred to the "Kiev regime" as terrorists who threatened the security of "Russia, Europe, the whole world." He demanded the use of weapons that could "stop and destroy the Kiev terrorist regime." Crimean State Duma deputy Mikhail Sheremet called for strikes on Volodymyr Zelensky's residence in Kiev, saying that the terrorists entrenched in Kiev must be destroyed "quickly and mercilessly."

In response, Kiev denied any involvement in the attack and reiterated its commitment to focus on liberating its own territories. Zelensky's spokesperson Sergei Nikiforov told the BBC that Ukraine was not attacking others and was using all available resources to regain control of its territories.

Overall, the drone attack on the Kremlin has escalated tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with calls for retaliatory strikes on both sides. However, Kiev denied any involvement in the incident and maintained its focus on liberating its own territories, while Moscow called for a "methodical, systematic and ruthless" response.