Wednesday, Ukraine denied any involvement in the Kremlin drone attack, which the Russian presidency described as a terrorist attempt.
The Kremlin claims they were able to stop the attack and take out the alleged drones. A video that has surfaced online depicts a brilliant flash and a puff of smoke over a portion of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most prominent symbol of power in Moscow.
Social Media Shows Kremlin Drone Explosion
The U.S. government claims they are still conducting an investigation and have no suspects. The Kremlin never acknowledges security lapses.
The analysis of the tape confirms the Russian government’s claim that two drones flew over the Kremlin early Wednesday morning, but it does not establish Ukrainian involvement.
At 2:37 a.m. local time on Wednesday, a neighboring Telegram account shared a video of Kremlin smoke. The incident was reported by TASS and RIA, citing the Kremlin, 12 hours after it occurred at 2:33 p.m. local time.
Following the initial media reports, a second video claiming to show the moment a drone exploded above the Kremlin went viral on social media. The footage depicts a small explosion as the drone approaches the dome roof.
As they ascend the dome, two flashlight-wielding individuals can be seen ducking before the explosion. As climbers extinguish the first drone’s blaze, the second drone appears.
Partisan Attack Allegations
Former Russian official Ilya Ponomarev stated that the attack was carried out by Russian partisans and not Ukrainian troops.
Russia has reportedly added exiled lawmaker Vladimir Ponomarev to a list of terrorist suspects. Ponomarev voted against Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Currently, Ponomarev divides his time between exile in Ukraine and Poland.
According to Ponomarev, the majority of Russian partisan groups consist of young people, students, and city dwellers.
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