The Kremlin drone incident and the dispute over who was behind it
A look back at the claims and denials that followed two drones being shot down near the Kremlin.
What happened over Moscow on 3 May 2023, and who stood behind it? Two explosive drones were reported to have targeted the Kremlin and were shot down, in the midst of the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Russia responded by accusing Ukraine of attempting to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. A spokesman claimed that Putin was not inside the Kremlin when the drones came down. A video showed at least one drone hitting the compound.
Ukraine denied any involvement in the attack.
The accounts that emerged from the incident agreed on several points: the drones were shot down, Putin was not in the building, and no one was injured. What remained in dispute from the first day was the responsibility. Russia pointed to Ukraine and described the incident as an assassination attempt, while Kyiv rejected the claim outright.
