PM Modi Urges Diplomacy After Reports of Attack on Putin Residence

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
has
voiced
serious
concern
following
reports
that
Russian
President
Vladimir
Putin’s
residence
came
under
attack
as
the
Russia-Ukraine
war
continues
to
escalate.
In
a
statement
posted
on
X,
PM
Modi
urged
all
sides
to
prioritise
diplomacy
and
avoid
actions
that
could
derail
ongoing
peace
efforts.

“Deeply
concerned
by
reports
of
the
targeting
of
the
residence
of
the
President
of
the
Russian
Federation.
Ongoing
diplomatic
efforts
offer
the
most
viable
path
toward
ending
hostilities
and
achieving
peace.
We
urge
all
concerned
to
remain
focused
on
these
efforts
and
to
avoid
any
actions
that
could
undermine
them,” he
said.

The
comment
came
shortly
after
Moscow
alleged
that
nearly
100
long-range
Ukrainian
drones
attempted
to
strike
Putin’s
country
residence
in
Russia’s
Novgorod
region.
According
to
Russian
Foreign
Minister
Sergey
Lavrov,
the
overnight
drone
assault
caused
no
damage,
as
Russian
air
defences
intercepted
the
aircraft.
He
accused
Ukraine
of
attempting
to
disrupt
peace
negotiations
and
warned
that
Russia
could
choose
to
respond
“at
a
time
of
its
choosing.”

Lavrov
also
suggested
that
the
incident
may
prompt
Moscow
to
rethink
its
negotiation
strategy,
though
he
added
that
talks
would
continue,
including
discussions
involving
representatives
of
US
President
Donald
Trump.

Trump,
reacting
to
the
reports,
said
Putin
personally
informed
him
of
the
alleged
attack.
“It’s
no
good.
I’m
very
angry,”
he
told
media,
though
he
also
admitted
the
claims
might
not
be
fully
confirmed,
saying
it
was
“possible”
the
attack
did
not
actually
occur.

As
tensions
intensify,
questions
remain
over
how
this
alleged
strike
–
and
competing
narratives
surrounding
it
–
will
shape
the
already
fragile
diplomatic
roadmap
toward
ending
the
war.