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".



Pope Leo Appeals for Israel to Allow Humanitarian Aid in Gaza 

Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
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Pope Leo Appeals for Israel to Allow Humanitarian Aid in Gaza 

Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)
Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd at the end of his first weekly general audience at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on May 21, 2025. (AFP)

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appealed for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, calling the situation in the Palestinian enclave "yet more worrying and saddening".

"I renew my fervent appeal to allow for the entry of fair humanitarian help and to bring to an end the hostilities, the devastating price of which is paid by children, the elderly and the sick," the pope said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected the leader of the Catholic Church on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis. He has mentioned the situation in Gaza several times in the first weeks of his papacy.

In his first Sunday message on May 11, the new pope called for an immediate ceasefire and for the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Israel said on Monday that it would allow aid to enter Gaza after an 11-week blockade on the enclave, but the United Nations said no help had been distributed as of Tuesday.

Leo's appeal comes a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his government had paused free trade talks with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador to the UK over the situation in Gaza.

Israel says it plans to intensify military operations against Hamas and to control the whole of Gaza, which has been devastated by an Israeli air and ground war since Hamas' cross-border attack on Israeli communities in October 2023.

Israel has said its blockade is aimed in part at preventing Palestinian gunmen from diverting and seizing aid supplies. Hamas has denied doing so.