Latest news with #Dmitry Peskov
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Kremlin says mobile internet switch offs across Russia are needed to protect from Ukraine
The Kremlin said on Thursday that the decision to sometimes switch off the mobile internet across Russia was justified in order to protect people from threats posed by Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about internet outages after the internet outage tracking service reported unstable internet in dozens of Russian regions this week. Authorities are known to turn off mobile internet when necessary to try to disrupt Ukrainian drone attacks. The Kremlin on Thursday, asked to comment on statements by US President Donald Trump regarding possible secondary tariffs against buyers of Russian exports, said Russia was continuing to analyze the US leader's remarks. The Kremlin has so far reacted icily to Trump's warnings to President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, saying that decisions taken by the US president and the NATO military alliance would be interpreted by Kyiv as a signal to continue the war. Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday and threatened 'biting' secondary tariffs of 100 percent on the buyers of Russian exports unless there is a peace deal in 50 days. Putin has not yet commented publicly on Trump's threats. On Thursday, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that the Kremlin chief would comment if he judges it fit to do so.
France 24
4 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace
Trump a day earlier gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal with Ukraine, voicing fresh frustration with Moscow as he laid out an arrangement with NATO to supply Kyiv with new military aid sponsored by the alliance's members. The Republican forced Moscow and Kyiv to open peace talks to end the conflict, now in its fourth year, but Russia has rejected calls for a ceasefire and launched a record number of drones and missiles at Ukraine in recent months. Moscow said it needed more time to respond fully to Trump's statement, but hinted it did not appear conducive to successful negotiations. "It seems that such a decision made in Washington and in NATO countries and directly in Brussels will be perceived by Kyiv not as a signal for peace but for the continuation of the war," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "President Trump's statement is very serious. We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington," he told reporters in Moscow's first reaction to the comments. Trump warned that if no deal was concluded, he would slap severe tariffs on Russia's remaining trade partners in a bid to impede Moscow's ability to finance its military offensive. Pumped up by huge state spending on soldiers and weapons, as well as by redirecting vital energy exports to the likes of China and India, Russia's economy has so far defied Western hopes sanctions would push it into a deep recession. - Weapons deal - Two rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine, held in Turkey in recent months, have made no progress towards ending the fighting and yielded only large-scale prisoner exchanges. Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia launched its offensive, with millions forced to flee their homes in eastern and southern Ukraine, which has been decimated by aerial attacks and ground assaults. Putin has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire and his negotiators have demanded Ukraine shun all Western military support, and pull out of four regions in its east and south that Moscow claims to have annexed. Kyiv and the West have rejected them as a call for Ukraine's de-facto capitulation. Peskov said Russia was open to another round of talks and was "waiting for proposals from the Ukrainian side on the timing." Kyiv has called it "pointless" to hold further talks with the current Russian delegation. Denmark and the Netherlands on Tuesday said they were looking to participate in Trump's plan for Europe to buy American weapons for Ukraine. Under the scheme, some of NATO's European members would pay Washington for the weapons, including vital Patriot air defence systems, which would then be shipped to Ukraine. The United States has been Kyiv's most important military backer since Russia launched its offensive in 2022, but Trump's erratic policy on whether to support Ukraine and his attempts to engage Putin have spooked Europe and Kyiv. 'Game of chess' In Moscow, residents dismissed Trump's statement as little more than politics. "It's a game of chess," Svetlana, an aviation engineer said. "There will still be negotiations... (Trump) gave 50 days, and then there will be more... We are waiting for the next move of our president," the 47-year-old said. Russia has pummelled Ukrainian cities with regular aerial attacks in recent weeks as its troops advance slowly across the battlefield in the east and south. Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the east were hopeful but cautious following Trump's promise of air defences and weapons. "I don't believe him. There have been too many promises that haven't been kept," said one soldier with the call-sign "Shah." Others were worried it might be too little too late. "Of course it's good, but at the same time, time has been lost. Those Patriots could have been sent sooner and could have helped a lot," another fighter called "Master" told AFP. "If there is even the slightest chance to improve the situation for us and worsen it for them, then that's already positive," Ruslan, a 29-year-old soldier, said.
Russia Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin explains media restrictions
Some press restrictions are appropriate during wartime, but recent changes in the Russian media environment cannot be reduced solely to military censorship, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Moscow has introduced legal limits on what can be published by the media. For instance, the intentional spread of false information about military operations has been criminalized. 'This is a time of military censorship – unprecedented in our country. The war is being fought in the informational space as well,' Peskov told Expert magazine in an interview published Friday. He added, 'It would be wrong to ignore outlets that intentionally seek to discredit Russia. That is why I believe such regulations are justified.' Several media organizations relocated their operations to Western countries in 2022, citing safety concerns for their staff. Peskov singled out the Latvia-based news site Meduza as an outlet that reports 'either bad things about Russia or nothing at all.' The Russian government labeled Meduza a foreign agent in 2021 due to its funding. 'Certainly, a time will come when a softer informational policy will be required, and many new neutral outlets will emerge, reporting both challenges and achievements,' Peskov said. He said that the Kremlin would not repeat previous 'mistakes' of allowing what it deems hostile media to operate unchecked. Peskov said the current trend in Russian media toward positive and 'patriotic' coverage is evident, attributing it in part to audience demand rather than government policies. He asserted that some outlets may have gone too far in that direction, referencing a Russian proverb to describe the situation: 'Teach a fool to pray to God, and he'll burst his forehead.' Western nations supporting Kiev have implemented their own restrictions on Russian outlets, claiming they are necessary to combat 'misinformation.' The European Union, for example, has banned RT and prohibited social media platforms from distributing its content. Moscow argues such actions demonstrate a lack of commitment to free speech and reflect a willingness to suppress narratives that challenge Western viewpoints.
Reuters
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Kremlin says wartime censorship is justified
MOSCOW, July 11 (Reuters) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that wartime censorship in Russia is justified amid the conflict with Ukraine and the closure of opposition-minded media. Russian authorities swiftly blocked Russian-language media outlets in February 2022 to quash dissenting voices as Russia invaded Ukraine, and they introduced laws threatening many years in prison for those "discrediting" the army. Speaking to a Russian magazine called Expert, Peskov said that many media outlets have been closed, while some reporters have emigrated from the country in the past three years. "But don't forget the situation we are in. Now is the time of military censorship, unprecedented for our country. After all, the war is going on in the information space too," Peskov is quoted as saying by the magazine. Russian authorities also blocked Twitter, now X, and Meta Platforms' (META.O), opens new tab Facebook and Instagram followed by YouTube, the most popular foreign video platform in the country at the time. "It would be wrong to turn a blind eye to the media that are deliberately engaged in discrediting Russia. Therefore, I believe that this regime (censorship) is justified now," Peskov told the magazine.
Russia Today
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia prefers peaceful solution to Ukraine conflict
Russia remains open to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday. He warned that conditions on the ground are rapidly evolving as Kiev hesitates to continue direct negotiations. Two rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have taken place this year in Istanbul – in mid-May and early June – but a third has yet to be scheduled. Peskov addressed the stalled diplomatic efforts during a routine press briefing. 'We should wait for some signals from the Kiev regime, who should say whether they want to hold a third round of direct talks or not,' Peskov said. 'We have repeatedly said that we would prefer achieving our goals through peaceful political-diplomatic means.' He added, 'As long as this outcome is impossible, the special military operation continues, and realities on the ground are changing every day.' His comments came as the United States reportedly resumed weapons deliveries to Ukraine following a brief pause. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of 'throwing a lot of bullsh*t' at Washington – remarks the Kremlin characterized as rhetorical flourishes typical of the American leader. Trump maintains his interest in brokering a compromise to resolve the conflict. Initially Kiev agreed to resume direct talks with Moscow after the White House signaled support for renewed diplomacy. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tikhiy said in an interview this week that Kiev's consent to negotiations was partly driven by a desire to avoid being blamed by Western leaders for obstructing Trump's peace agenda. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the ASEAN forum in Malaysia. The two officials spoke for nearly an hour, after which Rubio downplayed the earlier pause in US military aid and urged European nations backing Kiev to increase their support. 'One of the things that the Ukrainians need is more Patriot batteries,' Rubio said, referencing the US-made long-range air defense systems. 'There are Patriot batteries available in multiple countries in Europe, yet no one wants to part with them.' He argued that countries prioritizing Ukraine's defense should be willing to send Kiev equipment that is currently not being used.
