RUSSIA has handed “proof” of an attempted Ukraine drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s palace to the US after its previous claims were laughed off.
A top Russian military chief passed on what he said to be part of a Ukrainian drone that contained data to prove the strike.
Scattered debris from one of 91 drones Russia accused Ukraine of firing towards Putin’s home were shown in footage released by Russia earlier this week.
But Western countries disputed Russia’s account of the alleged strike, with Ukrainian officials describing the evidence as “laughable”.
Now Russia has doubled down on the claims.
A video posted on the Russian Defence Ministry’s Telegram channel shows the head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces handing a device to the U.S. attache.
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He described it as the controlling mechanism of a drone found among downed fragments.
Kostyukov said Russia’s “decryption” of the data found in the device “confirms without question” that Putin’s palace was the target of the strike.
He added: “We presume that this measure will do away with any questions and allow for the truth to be established.”
The CIA previously concluded the attack claims were fabricated, with the agency’s director John Ratcliffe briefing Trump on the findings.
Trump even shared a New York Post article on Truth Social titled: “Putin ‘attack’ bluster shows Russia is the one standing in the way of peace”.
Experts seized on a map shown in the footage which appeared to reveal that 49 drones were blasted out of the sky over Russia’s Bryansk region.
Only one is seen being taken down hundreds of miles south of Valdai.
Moscow failed to explain how it knew the swarm of drones were on a direct course for its dictators palace.
The graphic instead hinted that the remaining 41 drones were intercepted over the Novgorod region where the residence is actually based.
The Kremlin was also mocked on Monday after it emerged that Russia’s own defence ministry had previously admitted to shooting down just 18 drones over Novgorod on Sunday — a figure that sits awkwardly with its later dramatic claims.
Local residents close to the sprawling palace also failed to report any explosions from air defence activity.
And online communities in the 15,000-population town failed to mention anything untoward.
The palace is surrounded by more than 20 modern air defence systems – which appeared to remain silent.
But Putin cheerleaders led by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev issued direct threats to Zelensky.
Medvedev raged on X: “The stinking Kiev bastard is trying to derail the settlement of the conflict.
“He wants war. Well, now at least he’ll have to stay in hiding for the rest of his worthless life.
“I will not write here about his violent death, although right now the Grim Reaper is breathing down the bastard’s neck.
“I wish for something else — for scientific purposes.
“It is very important that in the futureafter his imminent demise, the green homunculus’s body, preserved in alcohol, be displayed in the Kunstkamera science museum in St. Petersburg, where Russian tsars collected freaks for the amusement of their descendants.”
Putin went on to deliver a chilling message vowing to defeat Ukraine in his annual New Year address.
The patriotic-charged address came after the aging tyrant ordered his army to snatch more territory in 2026.
Zelensky’s own New Year speech appeared to be a defiant response to the threatening address.
He said: “I congratulate all our soldiers and commanders on the upcoming New Year!
“We believe in you and our victory.”
The Ukrainian leader declared peace is “90 per cent ready” and urged leaders around the world to strong-arm Russia into accepting a deal.
He warned that pulling Ukrainian forces out of the eastern Donbas – the region highly coveted by Putin and his cronies – would mean “everything will be over”.
Russia is demanding full control of Donbas as part of any deal.
Moscow already occupies about 75 per cent of Donetsk and almost all of neighbouring Luhansk, together known as Donbas.
The region has been the biggest sticking point in talks, with Russia refusing to back down.
Zelensky thanked Ukraine’s allies, but said promises must be turned into action.