Zelensky lashes out at India over response to drone attack

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has criticized India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries for condemning an attempted drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state residence in Novgorod Region.

Kiev launched 91 long-range strike drones at Putin’s residence on the night of December 28-29, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

There were no casualties and no material damage was done, as all the UAVs were intercepted. Ukraine’s leader has denied having launched the attack.

”It is confusing and unpleasant that some countries, like India, the UAE, and a few others, condemned what they claim were our drone strikes on Putin’s residence — which didn’t even happen,” Zelensky told journalists during an online press conference on Tuesday.

He added, “Where is their condemnation of the fact that our children are being bombed and people are being killed all this time? I don’t hear India, frankly, nor the United Arab Emirates.”

On Tuesday Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply concerned by reports of the targeting of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.” 

READ MORE: Modi ‘deeply concerned’ over drone attack on Putin’s residence

The UAE “strongly condemned” the attempted attack. In a statement, the country’s foreign ministry affirmed “the UAE’s solidarity with the President of the Russian Federation, as well as with the government and people of Russia.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry called on both sides to “avoid further escalation” after the attack, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the “reported targeting” of Putin’s residence.

Lavrov said Russia is grateful to the countries that condemned the incident, adding that there is “no doubt” that European countries are trying to help Ukraine foment further aggression against Russia.