Kiev's actions harming peace process
The recent rise in the number of Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil is detrimental to the ongoing efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict between the two countries, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said.
Over the past week alone, Russian air defenses have downed 1,465 Ukrainian drones over territories outside the active conflict zone, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Tuesday.
'At the very least, we can say that these actions by Kiev… are clearly at odds with the pursuit of the peace process,' Peskov told a press briefing that same day. 'Of course we condemn these actions,' he said, adding that they 'do not contribute to the advancement of the peace process.'
The Russian Defense Ministry stated on Tuesday that the 'Kiev regime, supported by certain European countries, has taken a number of provocative steps aimed at disrupting the negotiation process,' which was initiated by Moscow earlier in May.
According to the ministry, there has been a spike in Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory involving drones as well as Western-made missiles. Military officials in Moscow estimated that between May 20 and May 27, air defense systems intercepted more than 2,300 Ukrainian UAVs, most of them operating outside frontline areas.
The ministry added that Russian forces retaliated with high-precision missile and drone strikes aimed 'exclusively at Ukraine's military and defense industrial facilities.'
The developments followed last week's telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, which both leaders characterized as productive.
Earlier this month, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks since 2022 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The two sides agreed on a record prisoner swap and discussed a follow-up meeting. As part of the ongoing diplomatic process, Moscow has said it is working on a memorandum for settling the conflict, which will be presented to Kiev in the near future. It is expected to include Moscow's key terms for a potential ceasefire, conflict settlement, and a timeline for an eventual peace agreement.
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