Trump briefed on intelligence dismissing claim Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence

President Trump was briefed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe at the White House on Wednesday, where he was informed that there is no evidence Ukraine launched an attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer and Kevin Bohn have learned.

The briefing happened two days after Russia accused Ukraine of trying to attack Putin’s residence.

Intelligence reports show Kyiv was targeting another military site in the same region as Putin’s residence, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has not returned NewsNation’s request for comment. The White House did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment from The Hill.

Trump previously said he was “very angry” after Putin called him, describing the planned attack, which further thwarted peace talks.

Russia’s claims came a day after the president’s face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pushing a 20-point peace plan, a counteroffer to the Trump administration’s 28-point plan that it presented to Ukraine before Thanksgiving. 

“Russia has a long record of false claims — it’s their signature tactic. For instance, Russia claimed it wouldn’t attack Ukraine in the beginning of 2022. They also often accuse others of what they themselves plan to do. Their words should never be taken at face value,” Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha wrote in a Tuesday post on social platform X.

Moscow has largely drawn away from talks to end the war, demanding land from Kyiv while continuing blows on communities in Ukraine. The stain has left an indelible mark on the Trump administration, as the president previously promised to end the war overnight on the campaign trail.

Trump on Wednesday reposted an editorial from the New York Post dismissing reports on the alleged attack staged by Ukraine.

“It’s rich that Putin, who has waged a brutal war for nearly four years, believes that any violence in his vicinity merits special outrage. After all, Russia launched 131 drones on Christmas at Kyiv and other cities, killing seven civilians. Civilians,” the editorial board wrote. 

“The Kremlin specifically targets apartment buildings and power plants to punish the ordinary people of Ukraine. The Russians kidnap children. They torture and execute prisoners. Further, Moscow has tried repeatedly to assassinate Zelensky. Any attack on Putin is more than justified,” it continued. 

Kellie Meyer and Kevin Bohn contributed.

Updated Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. EST