By SCM Staff Writer
MOSCOW has sensationally denied blasting the Qatari embassy in Kyiv, blaming the damage on a “wonky” Ukrainian air defence missile instead.
The Kremlin’s top brass today insisted they had “no targets” anywhere near the diplomatic mission during their latest blitz on the Ukrainian capital.
Instead, Putin’s spin doctors are pointing the finger at President Zelenskyy’s own defenders, claiming a malfunction sent a Kyiv interceptor crashing into the building.
The Foreign Ministry in Moscow barked: “There were no designated targets near the Qatari mission.
It was a Ukrainian air defense malfunction that caused the damage.”
Ukrainian officials had earlier slammed Russia for the “barbaric” hit on the embassy, which is supposed to be a protected “no-go” zone under international law.
But Russia’s “not me” routine hasn’t washed with Kyiv, who say the damage was a direct result of Vlad’s “brutality without bounds.”
The diplomatic dust-up comes at a delicate time, as Qatar has been acting as the middleman in secret talks to bring home prisoners of war from both sides.
On the night of January 8-9, 2026, Russia launched a massive wave of strikes against Ukraine involving 36 missiles and over 240 drones.
During the raid, the Qatari Embassy in Kyiv sustained significant structural damage.
The Mediation Factor: Qatar is one of the few nations still maintaining a “neutral” line, serving as a primary mediator between Moscow and Kyiv for the return of abducted Ukrainian children and the exchange of prisoners of war (POWs).
The “Oreshnik” Factor: This specific attack was notable because Russia reportedly used its new “Oreshnik” hypersonic ballistic missile for the second time in the war, targeting Lviv and Kyiv as a “warning” to the West.
The Russian Defense: Russia frequently claims that damage to civilian or diplomatic infrastructure in Kyiv is caused by falling debris or malfunctioning Ukrainian S-300 air defense missiles, rather than their own precision-guided munitions.
Diplomatic Fallout: The State of Qatar has expressed “deep regret” over the damage and called for the protection of diplomatic missions, though they have notably avoided naming Russia directly in their official statements to maintain their status as a neutral mediator.
