Russia's Lavrov Says Kremlin Drone Incident Was 'Hostile Act'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, US April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, US April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar
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Russia's Lavrov Says Kremlin Drone Incident Was 'Hostile Act'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, US April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, US April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Wednesday's drone incident at the Kremlin was a "hostile act" and Russia would respond with "concrete actions".

Russia has accused Ukraine of firing drones at the Kremlin in an attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin, and said the United States was behind the purported attack, Reuters reported.

Ukraine has denied that, and the White House has dismissed Russian "lies".

"It was clearly a hostile act, it is clear that the Kyiv terrorists could not have committed it without the knowledge of their masters," Lavrov told a press conference in India.

"We will not respond by talking about 'casus belli' or not, we will respond with concrete actions," he said.

"Casus belli" is a Latin term for an action that provides justification for war. Russia's war in Ukraine is now in its 15th month, though Moscow continues to describe it as a "special military operation".



US Moving Fighter Jets to Middle East as Israel-Iran War Rages

This handout grab taken from footage released by the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on June 11, 2025 shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducting flight operations in the South China Sea, on May 28, 2025. (AFP Photo / DVIDS / Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Edward Jacome - Handout)
This handout grab taken from footage released by the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on June 11, 2025 shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducting flight operations in the South China Sea, on May 28, 2025. (AFP Photo / DVIDS / Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Edward Jacome - Handout)
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US Moving Fighter Jets to Middle East as Israel-Iran War Rages

This handout grab taken from footage released by the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on June 11, 2025 shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducting flight operations in the South China Sea, on May 28, 2025. (AFP Photo / DVIDS / Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Edward Jacome - Handout)
This handout grab taken from footage released by the US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on June 11, 2025 shows the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducting flight operations in the South China Sea, on May 28, 2025. (AFP Photo / DVIDS / Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Edward Jacome - Handout)

The US military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering US military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages, three US officials said.

One of the officials said the deployments include F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft.

Two of the officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment of fighter aircraft, which have been used to shoot down drones and projectiles.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reuters was first to report on Monday the movement of a large number of tanker aircraft to Europe as well as the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Middle East, providing options to President Donald Trump as Middle East tensions soar.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the deployments as defensive in nature, as Washington looks to safeguard forces in the Middle East from potential blowback from Iran and Iran-aligned forces in the region.

A fourth US defense official on Tuesday raised the possibility of the deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean of additional US Navy warships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles.

The United States already has a sizeable force in the Middle East, with nearly 40,000 troops in the region, including air defense systems, fighter aircraft and warships that can detect and shoot down enemy missiles.

Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it concluded Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.