ISLAMABAD, December 30. /TASS/. Kiev's attempt to strike Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod Region was committed in the interests of individuals trying to disrupt negotiations on a peaceful settlement, Muhammad Taimur Fahad Khan, a research associate at the Institute for Strategic Studies Islamabad.
"Such a development of the situation objectively serves the interests of those who seek to disrupt negotiations, escalate tensions and prolong the conflict, rather than promote a peaceful settlement. This is why whoever tried to do this definitely wants to disrupt efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and seeks to escalate the situation," the analyst said.
According to Khan, a compromise between Moscow and Kiev will become more difficult after the attack. "As a result, negotiations on the settlement of the situation in Ukraine are likely to progress more slowly," the expert believes.
Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif called the attack on Putin's residence "a heinous act that poses a serious threat to peace, security and stability." He expressed solidarity with Putin and with the government and people of Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that on the night of December 28-29, Kiev launched an attack using 91 UAVs on the residence in the Novgorod Region. All the drones were destroyed. As the minister noted, there was no information about casualties or damage from UAV debris.
Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said that Putin in his most recent phone call with US President Donald Trump drew attention to the Kiev attack that took place "virtually immediately" after the US-Ukraine talks at Mar-a-Lago and warned that it would not remain "without the most serious response." The head of state also told the American leader that Russia's position in the negotiations on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine would be revised.