US Calls Russian Claim that Washington was Behind Drone Attack 'Ludicrous'

White House national security spokesman John Kirby. AFP
White House national security spokesman John Kirby. AFP
TT

US Calls Russian Claim that Washington was Behind Drone Attack 'Ludicrous'

White House national security spokesman John Kirby. AFP
White House national security spokesman John Kirby. AFP

The United States dismissed Russia's allegation on Thursday that Washington was behind what it said was a drone attack on the Kremlin, saying Moscow's assertion was a lie.

"Obviously it's a ludicrous claim," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said hours after Russia blamed the United States for what it called an attack aimed at killing President Vladimir Putin.

"The United States has nothing to do with it. We don't even know exactly what happened here, but I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever," Kirby said on CNN.

According to Reuters, Kirby said the United States does not encourage or enable Ukraine to strike outside its borders, and does not endorse attacks on individual leaders. Ukraine has denied launching any drones on the Kremlin.

It was still unclear what exactly occurred at the Kremlin and the United States is still assessing the situation, Kirby said in television interviews Thursday morning.

"We still don't really know what happened," he told MSNBC.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the United States was "undoubtedly" behind the alleged attack on Wednesday, without providing evidence.

"Peskov is just lying there, pure and simple," Kirby said.

Kirby added that Putin was "the aggressor" in Ukraine and could end conflict by withdrawing from Ukraine's territory he invaded in February 2022.



US Intelligence Officials to Appear at House Hearing After Senate Grilling Over Leaked Military Plan 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appears during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP) 
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appears during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP) 
TT

US Intelligence Officials to Appear at House Hearing After Senate Grilling Over Leaked Military Plan 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appears during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP) 
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appears during a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP) 

President Donald Trump's top intelligence officials will brief House lawmakers Wednesday on global threats facing the US — though they'll likely be questioned again over their use of a group text to discuss plans for military strikes in Yemen.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel are among those who were asked to testify before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its annual review of threats facing the US.

At a similar hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard briefed lawmakers on her office's threat assessment, noting that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea continue to pose security challenges to the US, as do drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

The presentations from top Trump appointees reflect Trump's foreign policy priorities, including a focus on combating the flow of fentanyl, illegal immigration and human trafficking, and are taking place as Trump attempts to work out a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine three years after Russia's invasion.

Tuesday's hearing was dominated by questions about Ratcliffe and Gabbard's participation in a group chat on Signal in which they discussed plans to strike Houthi militants in Yemen. The group included a journalist, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

Gabbard and Ratcliffe have said no classified information was included in the messages, but Democrats have decried the use of the messaging app, saying that any release of information about timetables, weapons or military activities could have put US servicemembers at risk.

At Tuesday's hearing they asked Patel, who was not a participant in the text chain, if he would investigate. It's likely House Democrats will press Patel on the same question Wednesday.

The National Security Council has said it will investigate the matter, which Trump on Tuesday downplayed as a “glitch.” Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.