MOSCOW, May 4. /TASS/. Moscow is well aware that Kiev selects both the means and targets of attacks only at the direct orders of Washington, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

Commenting on the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin in the early morning hours of Wednesday, the presidential spokesman said: "We know very well that the decisions to carry out such actions, such terrorist attacks, are made not in Kiev. Rather, it is precisely in Washington [where the decision-making is done]. And, Kiev is already left to do what it is told to do."

The Kremlin spokesman pointed out that, "often even the targets themselves are not determined by Kiev, but by Washington and are then communicated to Kiev so that Kiev executes [Washington’s] orders." "And not on every occasion is Kiev even given the right to select the means. This, too, is often dictated from across the ocean. We are well aware of this," the spokesman emphasized.

In response to a request for clarification, he confirmed that Moscow contends that Washington was involved in the incident. "Absolutely," Peskov said. "Such decisions, determining targets, determining means and so on, this is all dictated to Kiev by Washington," he reiterated.

Commenting on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's remark that the Kremlin's information should have been "divided in two," Peskov noted, "To divide it all by two or not to divide it is up to you. But in Washington they should clearly understand that we are aware of that."

Fighting terrorism

The Kremlin spokesman also suggested it was worth recalling that in the early 2000s, when Russia was fighting international terrorism in Chechnya, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly called upon the Western community "not to spoon feed the terrorists."

"'Because sooner or later they will hit you,' President Putin said at that time. But, they didn't listen. And many countries around the world have faced horrendous manifestations of international terrorism, and many tragedies occurred. We would very much like for people not to forget this history," Peskov concluded.

Early on Wednesday morning, Kiev attempted to carry out a strike on the presidential residence inside the Kremlin grounds, the Russian presidential press service said. Two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were launched and targeted at the Kremlin. Russian military and security officers promptly took them out, disabling them using electronic warfare systems. Putin was not harmed and is carrying on with his work as usual.

The Kremlin regards the incident as a premeditated terrorist attack and an assassination attempt on the Russian president. Russia retains the right to take retaliatory measures when and how it sees fit.