| Explosions above the Kremlin |
| After a pair of explosions above the Kremlin early yesterday, Russia accused Ukraine of trying to assassinate Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, with a drone attack. Kyiv denied any involvement and asserted that Russia had manufactured the incident to distract attention from Ukraine’s expected imminent counteroffensive and possibly to justify an escalation of its own attacks. |
| Video footage showed what appeared to be two drones detonating over the Kremlin 15 minutes apart, the first shortly before 2:30 a.m. Russia called it an unsuccessful “attempt on the life of the president” by Ukraine that was foiled by Russian “electronic warfare systems” but did not release any evidence of a Ukrainian link. |
| A drone attack at the deeply symbolic heart of Russian power would be an audacious move by Kyiv, with the potential for serious repercussions. There were no reports of serious damage, and the Russian government said that Putin had not been in the Kremlin at the time. |
| U.S. intelligence: Agencies were still trying to determine what happened, according to officials. But the U.S. has in the past voiced concern that Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil could provoke Moscow without having a direct effect on the battlefield. |
| In other news from the war: |
| Since Pope Francis’ cryptic reference to a secret Vatican peace effort, the suggestion has elicited denials or bewilderment from the war’s protagonists.President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine traveled to Finland and The Hague to meet with leaders and officials. |
