Moscow: The Russian Foreign Ministry has firmly denied allegations that its military forces targeted the Qatari Embassy in Kyiv, attributing the damage instead to a failure within Ukraine's air defense system. "Diplomatic missions have never been targeted by the Russian Armed Forces," the ministry stated on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Moscow clarified that its military objectives were not positioned near the Qatari diplomatic mission, implicating a malfunction in Ukraine's air defense as the cause of the damage to the embassy building. The statement further underlined Russia's view of Qatar as a priority partner and a friendly nation.

The denial from Moscow came in response to comments made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He reported that a drone had damaged the embassy amidst a significant military operation involving the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, over 200 drones, and various cruise missiles. Zelenskyy underscored the diplomatic importance of Qatar, noting its role in mediating prisoner of war releases.

In addition, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed concerns over the strikes occurring near EU and NATO borders, describing them as a "grave threat" to European security. This incident follows a confirmation from Russian defense officials of a large-scale operation targeting energy infrastructure and drone production facilities, which they framed as retaliation for an attack on the Russian president's residence in the Novgorod region.