CIA Director Confirms Ukraine Didn't Target Putin's Residence, Undermining Russian Claims

CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed President Donald Trump on Wednesday, December 31, delivering the agency's assessment that Ukraine did not target a residence used by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent drone attack in northern Russia. According to CNN, this finding undercuts Putin's claim, which he raised during a Monday phone call with Trump, prompting the president to initially express anger and say he was very troubled by the allegation. Russia claimed 91 drones launched from northern Ukraine aimed at Putin's home near Valdai in the Novgorod region, with its defense ministry stating most were intercepted and later releasing drone data purportedly showing the target, though without independent verification. The Wall Street Journal first reported the CIA's conclusion, echoed by i24 News and United24 Media, which noted Ratcliffe's direct briefing to Trump. Following the update, Trump shared a New York Post editorial on Truth Social criticizing Putin's account as bluster meant to block peace talks, shifting to a more skeptical view. Ukraine denied involvement, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling it a complete fabrication to stall negotiations and justify Russian attacks. This comes amid Trump's peace efforts, including his recent Mar-a-Lago meeting with Zelenskyy and talks via envoy Steve Witkoff with Ukrainian and European officials on security guarantees. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas labeled Russia's claim a deliberate distraction, while the Institute for the Study of War found no evidence supporting Moscow's story. CiberCuba and Sweden Herald reported similar skepticism, with Ukraine accusing the Kremlin of propaganda to disrupt diplomacy. Ratcliffe's assessment bolsters U.S. alignment with Kyiv as negotiations intensify. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.