Blinken: U.S cannot 'validate' Russian claim Ukraine tried to kill Putin

STORY: Asked if the United States would criticize Ukraine if it decided on its own to strike back in Russian territory, Blinken said those were decisions for Ukraine to make about how to defend itself.

Russia accused Ukraine on Wednesday of a failed attempt to assassinate Putin in a drone attack on the Kremlin citadel in Moscow, and threatened to retaliate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zekenskiy said Kyiv had nothing to do with the reported incident.

Shortly after the Kremlin announcement, Ukraine reported alerts for air strikes over the capital Kyiv and other cities.

Russia said that two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin.