MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday it had shot down two drones aimed at President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin residence in what it called a Ukrainian "terrorist" assassination attempt.
Kyiv said it had "nothing to do" with the alleged attack and suggested it was "staged" by Moscow.
Russia announced the incident after a series of extraordinary sabotage attacks in the run-up to celebrations for the nation's most important holiday on May 9.
"Today at night, the Kyiv regime attempted to strike the Kremlin residence of the President of the Russian Federation with unmanned aerial vehicles," the Kremlin said.
"Two unmanned vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin... the devices were put out of action," a Kremlin statement said.
The operation was described as "a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the life of the President of the Russian Federation."
Moscow said Putin was not hurt and there were no casualties.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was working at his residence near Moscow on Wednesday.
Kyiv said it did not target the Kremlin.
"Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin," presidential spokesman Mikhaylo Podolyak said.
"Such staged reports by Russia should be considered solely as an attempt to prepare an information background for a large-scale terrorist attack on Ukraine," Podolyak said.
The last five days have seen two trains derailed by explosions, oil depot fires near and in Crimea, and power lines blown up near Saint Petersburg.
Officials in Russia said they were dealing with a major fire at a fuel depot close to the bridge to Russian-annexed Crime in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.
A source in the emergency services was quoted by TASS news agency as saying that the fire had been caused by a drone.
In possible signs that preparations are being stepped up, the frontline city of Kherson in southern Ukraine announced a long curfew for residents and sabotage acts behind Russian lines intensified.
Kherson, which was re-taken by Ukrainian troops in November, will be under curfew from Friday evening until Monday morning.
Regional officials said this was "for law enforcement officers to do their job", but similar long curfews have also been used in the past for troop and arms movements. — AFP
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