Putin’s Claims Challenged by Military Analyst

Retired Army General Jack Keene has labeled Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assertion that a group of Ukrainian drones attacked Russian residences as a “bold lie” stemming from his “desperation” to sabotage ongoing peace negotiations. During a segment on “Fox & Friends,” Keene suggested that Putin’s grip on Ukraine is slipping, noting, “He doesn’t have the ability to take over Ukraine… He knows the economy is closing in on him.”

Conversely, Keene observed that former President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy seem unified and are making strides toward “reaching an agreed position” to conclude the conflict.

He accused Putin of being “outraged” by the situation and misleading Trump during a phone call about the supposed drone attack, claiming it was an attempt to derail discussions. “In desperation, he told the president about Ukraine attacking the presidential palace and breaking off negotiations. That’s a bold lie,” Keene stated.

Referencing an investigation by the Institute for the Study of War, Keene mentioned a lack of evidence supporting Kremlin claims of a Ukrainian drone strike in the Novgorod region, which supposedly involved 91 drones. “There’s no social media buzz, nothing like there usually is after a major drone incident,” he pointed out.

He further emphasized that there were no intercepted drones nor observed damage, suggesting that the U.S. government’s leaking of information indicates the claims were unfounded. Recently, CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed Trump about this alleged attack, and Trump’s subsequent posts seemed to question the validity of Putin’s narrative.

According to reports, the CIA’s findings aligned with other U.S. national security assessments, indicating Kiev was not attempting to target Putin’s residence. President Zelenskyy also dismissed Russian allegations as a “complete fabrication.”

Keene urged a reevaluation of how the Trump administration views Putin’s “integrity” and advocated for imposing stricter sanctions on Russia if negotiations continue to falter. He firmly stated, “He is lying to us about peace negotiations and his desire for peace,” suggesting now might be the time for intensified sanctions and military pressure.