Russia denies reports of disrupted Moscow-Kyiv peace talks

Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has responded to a recent article published by The Washington Post.

The article claims that a recent attack by Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kursk region allegedly disrupted indirect negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, which were reportedly taking place in Qatar, Caliber.Az reports citing the Russian media.

The article claims that these negotiations focused on the security of critical civilian infrastructure.

“No negotiations were disrupted because there was nothing to disrupt. There have been no direct or indirect negotiations between Russia and the Kyiv regime concerning the security of critical civilian infrastructure, either in the past or at present,” Zakharova stated.

She emphasised that the information in The Washington Post article is inaccurate and unfounded.

Zakharova added that claims that the attack on the Kursk region impacted the course or absence of negotiations are far from reality. Her statement highlighted that no official contacts on this issue have occurred between Russia and Ukraine.

The spokesperson noted that the threat to the safety of the Zaporizhzhia and Kursk nuclear power plants is created by the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the support they receive from the US and other Western countries.

"As for the Russian Armed Forces, they do not target civilian facilities. On the contrary, they are currently doing everything possible to protect such facilities from strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which are using Western weaponry, and to shield the public from a large-scale technological disaster," Zaharova stated.

The massive attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kursk region began on August 6. The region is currently under a federal state of emergency, and there have been multiple alerts for missile threats. According to the latest reports, more than 140 people, including 10 children, have been injured and hospitalized as a result of the shelling. Additionally, over 10,000 evacuees from the border areas of the region are currently housed in temporary accommodation centres. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, since the beginning of the fighting in the Kursk direction, Kyiv has lost up to 3,160 soldiers, 44 tanks, and 43 armored personnel carriers. The operation to eliminate Ukrainian formations is ongoing.