Is the Kremlin like the White House? Explaining where Putin stays as drone attack footage goes viral

On Wednesday, footage of smoke rising over the Kremlin in Moscow was quick to go viral online. One could also see a small explosion occur on the site’s senate building. Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to strike at President Vladimir Putin. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vehemently denied doing so. Meanwhile, the US has announced that they cannot validate Russia’s beliefs on the attack.

Following the Kremlin strike, Russian officials revealed that two drones that were traveling over the presidential residence were disabled using electronic radar assets. They also confirmed that President Putin was not in the complex at the time of the supposed attack.

Russia announced that they reserve the right to retaliate. Important Russian political figures also demanded swift action be taken against Zelensky. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the head of Russia’s security council, said that the supposed attack:

“leaves us no option but to physically eliminate Zelensky and his clique.”

President Zelensky has strongly denied any Ukrainian involvement in the attack. He said in a Helsinki press conference:

“We don’t attack Putin or Moscow. We fight on our territory. We are defending our villages and cities.”

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Does Putin reside in the Kremlin?

Following the attack, Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russia, said that it was unlikely that the alleged attack was targeting Putin as the president “notoriously rarely goes to the Kremlin, let alone stays there overnight.”

RIA, a news agency, also confirmed that President Putin was not residing in the Kremlin at the time. He was reportedly at his Novo Ogaryovo residence located outside Moscow.

The Kremlin has served as the official residence of the Russian Federation since 1991, similar to the White House in the United States. However, while President Joe Biden resides in the government building, it is not the same for Putin. Numerous news outlets claim that he lives in several other mansions, and the Novo Ogaryovo is one of his confirmed properties. The estate has welcomed former United States President Barack Obama in the past.

The Bocharov Ruchey is another confirmed residence in Suchi. Russia Beyond, a state news outlet, confirmed that it is one of Putin's summer houses. The mansion is located near the Black Sea.

Putin also owns a mansion in Russia’s Novgorod region called Valdai. The house has several other names, including Uzhyn and Dolgie Borody.

In 2021, Navalny claimed that Putin owned a mansion, dubbed as “Putin’s Palace” in Russia, which is reported to be worth over one billion dollars. News outlets claimed that the property was sprawled across 17,691 square meters.

It has been reported that the large mansion includes a casino and even its own vineyard. Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation claimed that the entire property was funded by a corrupt scheme. However, Putin and the Kremlin have denied owning the supposed mansion.

Dmitry Peskov, a government spokesperson, has said in the past:

“These are all absolutely unfounded statements. This is pure nonsense and a complication, and there is nothing else there.”

Putin might not be residing in the Kremlin as it is open to the public. It has stood as a popular tourist attraction for a long period of time as it includes five palaces, several cathedrals, and stunning architecture. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.