Russia says it’s going to take a extra hardline stance in negotiations on ending the battle in Ukraine after claiming Kyiv tried to assault a Russian presidential residence – allegations Ukraine says Moscow has fabricated to justify additional aggression.
Accusations and counteraccusations are rife because the battle rages and the push for peace remains precarious.
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed reporters on Tuesday that the alleged drone assault on certainly one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences in Novgorod, a area in northwestern Russia, had been meant to derail current diplomatic efforts to barter an finish to the battle.
“This terrorist motion is aimed toward collapsing the negotiation course of,” Peskov stated, including that Russia’s army is aware of when and the way it will reply.
“The diplomatic consequence can be to toughen the negotiating place of the Russian Federation.”
Russia said on Monday that Putin’s residence had been focused by Ukraine with 91 long-range drones that had been shot down by air defence techniques with nobody injured.
‘No such assault occurred’
Ukraine has denied that the assault occurred, calling the Russian allegations “false claims” meant to undermine the peace course of.
In a publish on X, Ukrainian Minister of Overseas Affairs Andrii Sybiha stated Moscow had not supplied any believable proof to again up its accusations.
“And so they received’t. As a result of there’s none. No such assault occurred,” he stated on Tuesday.
Sybiha stated Russia has “a protracted document of false claims”, calling them its “signature tactic”.
“Additionally they usually accuse others of what they themselves plan to do,” he stated. “Their phrases ought to by no means be taken at face worth.”
He added that Ukraine was ”disenchanted and anxious“ by statements by the United Arab Emirates, India and Pakistan expressing concern over what he stated was an assault that by no means occurred.
Requested by reporters whether or not Russia might present proof of the drone assault, Peskov stated air defences shot the drones down however the query of wreckage was for the Ministry of Defence.
He stated makes an attempt by Ukraine and Western media to disclaim the incident have been “insane”.
No proof has been supplied by Russia. The Defence Ministry has issued solely a press release that stated 91 drones had been shot down whereas they have been heading to Putin’s Novgorod residence, which is about 360km (225 miles) north of Moscow.
Talking on Monday, United States President Donald Trump, who has spearheaded the push to dealer peace in Ukraine, stated he had been knowledgeable of the alleged assault in a telephone name with Putin.
“I used to be very indignant about it,” he stated, including that he would discover out whether or not there was proof to help the allegation.
European leaders maintain talks
The dispute over the assault performed out as key leaders from Europe and Canada held discussions on advancing the peace course of.
After the talks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz posted on social media that the group was “shifting the peace course of ahead”.
“Transparency and honesty at the moment are required from everybody – together with Russia,” he wrote.
Within the wake of the assembly, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated at a authorities assembly that he believed peace may very well be achieved in Ukraine in a matter of weeks.
“Peace is on the horizon. There is no such thing as a doubt that issues have occurred that give grounds for hope that this battle can finish, and fairly shortly, however it’s nonetheless a hope, removed from 100% sure,” Tusk stated.
“After I say peace is on the horizon, I’m speaking in regards to the coming weeks, not the approaching months or years. By January, we’ll all have to come back collectively … to make selections about the way forward for Ukraine, the way forward for this a part of the world.”
He stated safety ensures provided by Washington to Kyiv gave a cause to consider the battle might finish quickly however Ukraine would wish to compromise on territorial points.
Russia needs Kyiv to withdraw its troops from the elements of the Donbas area in japanese Ukraine that Moscow has did not occupy in nearly 4 years of battle.
It stays the important thing sticking level within the talks, ceding territory or not.
Kyiv needs preventing halted alongside the present entrance traces, and Washington has proposed a free financial zone if Ukraine pulls its forces again.
Zelenskyy has insisted Kyiv received’t surrender land and the nation’s structure additionally forbids it.
Black Sea ports attacked
As leaders met for talks, Kyiv stated Russia had attacked infrastructure within the Odesa area, damaging a civilian ship and amenities within the Black Sea ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk, that are essential for Ukraine’s overseas commerce and integral to its wartime economic system.
In a publish on Telegram, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba stated a Panama-flagged civilian ship loaded with grain was broken and oil storage tanks hit with one particular person wounded.
“That is one more focused assault by Russia on civilian port infrastructure. The enemy is making an attempt to disrupt logistics and complicate transport,” Kuleba stated.
Regardless of the assaults, each ports continued to function, he stated.
In the meantime, Ukraine ordered the evacuation of a number of hundred individuals from 14 settlements within the northern area of Chernihiv, which borders Moscow-allied Belarus and which, Ukraine stated, has been the goal of day by day Russian shelling.
