Ukraine, White House Respond To Alleged Putin Assassination Attempt: Kyiv Calls It 'A Trick'

Ukraine is denying involvement in what Russia said was an assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin after Moscow released images of what it called “a terrorist attack” Wednesday on the Kremlin. 

Ukraine's Response: Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak called the accusation illogical and said the allegations are an attempt to control the narrative.

If Kyiv had carried out the strike, it “would allow Russia to justify mass strikes on Ukrainian cities, civilians and infrastructure facilities,” Podolyak said, adding: “Why would we need that? What’s the logic?"

Serhiy Nykyforov, the spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Ukraine does not have information on "so-called night attacks" on the Kremlin, according to CNN. 

"It’s a trick to be expected from our opponents," he said.

"As Zelenskyy has stated numerous times before, Ukraine uses all means at its disposal to free its own territory, not to attack others," the Ukrainian president's spokesperson said.

Leaked documents indicate Kyiv held back from attacking Moscow on Feb. 24, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at the request of the U.S., The Washington Post reported last month. 

Russia’s claim that it was attacked early Wednesday comes ahead of Victory Day, a May 9 celebration of the Soviet defeat of the Nazis in 1945.

The US Response: The White House said it has been unable to validate Russia's claims.

At a Washington Post Live event Wednesday, U..S Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "I would take anything coming out of the Kremlin with a very large shaker of salt," advising against speculating on whether Kyiv carried out the attack, according to CNN. 

"We'll see what the facts are. And it's really hard to comment or speculate on this without really knowing what the facts are," he said. 

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