UPDATE - Russia vows response with 'concrete actions' to drone attack on Kremlin

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, REVISES HEADLINE

By Ceyhun Alizade

ANKARA (AA) - Russia will respond with "concrete actions" to an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

Talking to reporters following a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Goa, India, which was broadcast live by several broadcasters, Lavrov called the recent drone attack, which the Kremlin claimed was carried out by Ukraine, a "hostile act."

"It is absolutely clear that without the knowledge of the 'masters,' the Kyiv terrorists could not have committed it,” he claimed, threatening that Moscow “will respond not by talking about whether it is 'casus belli' (an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify war) or not. We will respond with concrete actions."

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Ukraine attempted to strike the Russian presidential residence with two drones which were shot down on Tuesday night.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have since denied Kyiv’s involvement in the drone attack.

The Kremlin claimed on Thursday that the alleged drone attack by Ukraine on the presidential residence was decided by the US.

"We are well aware that decisions on such actions, on such terrorist attacks, are not made in Kyiv, (but) namely, in Washington. And Kyiv is already doing what it is told to do," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing.

Asked about the denial of Washington and Kyiv of involvement in the attack, Lavrov said "the US and Ukraine’s ability to lie is very well known."

The EU on Thursday urged Russia to not use the alleged drone attack as "an excuse" to escalate its war against Ukraine.

Responding to a question about a common currency of BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Lavrov said the issue is being discussed by the finance ministries, central banks and other relevant bodies of these countries.

"The name (of the currency) is the last thing, the main thing now is to consider practical issues that will help safeguard the cooperation of independent, sovereign states from the actions of the West, which abuses its position in the global economy in general, including the position of the dollar as a reserve currency," he said, adding that the same concerns the euro.

Lavrov said Russia never shied away from an option of a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, but it should be done with its geopolitical character taken into account.

The top diplomat pointed out that the Chinese peace initiative for Ukraine is drafted with the understanding of the geopolitical context and includes provisions about ensuring indivisibility of security, refusal of discriminatory actions and sanctions.

"All these issues cannot be solved by Zelenskyy who is a puppet in the West's hands, but directly by his masters. We have been long ready for this dialogue," he said.

Lavrov also said that Russia offered to gather a meeting in the SCO-Afghanistan format, adding that he expects approval for it from other SCO members.

The diplomat said the situation in Afghanistan demands "urgent measures," claiming the US is interfering in the country's affairs, including through support of terrorist organizations, which are fighting the Taliban.

"Also, the Americans are not abandoning attempts to return their military infrastructure in the region around Afghanistan, to Central Asia, everyone is well aware of the serious danger that such attempts pose, and we will firmly resist," he said.