Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to consider peace talks regarding Ukraine during a meeting with African leaders in St. Petersburg. He suggested that African and Chinese initiatives might serve as a basis for finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, President Putin also emphasized that a ceasefire would not be possible while the Ukrainian army continued its offensive actions.
Shortly after his statement, Russia reported a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow, which resulted in damage to two office buildings and a brief suspension of flights from Vnukovo Airport. One person was injured in the attack. Ukraine has not commented on the incident.
Both Ukraine and Russia have previously stated that they will not engage in negotiations without specific preconditions. Kyiv is resolute in not conceding any territory, while Moscow demands that Kyiv accept the “new territorial reality” created by Russia’s invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine.
During the press conference, President Putin also defended the arrest of critical voices, asserting that some individuals were causing harm to Russia from within. Criticism of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine is outlawed, leading to the imprisonment or exile of many prominent opposition figures.
President Putin further mentioned that Moscow had carried out “preventive strikes” in response to an explosion on a Crimean bridge earlier that month, which he deemed a “terrorist” act by Ukraine. Nevertheless, Kyiv did not officially claim responsibility for the blast on the bridge, which connects the occupied Crimean peninsula to Russia.
The Russia-Africa summit took place following a meeting between an African delegation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and President Putin. President Zelensky recently visited Ukrainian special forces near Bakhmut, a city witnessing intense fighting. Ukrainian authorities reported that Kyiv’s troops were making gradual progress in the eastern city, previously seized by Russian forces in May.
In recent developments, rockets struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy overnight, killing one person and injuring five others, according to the country’s interior ministry. Another missile hit an open area in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, killing two people and injuring another while causing damage to nearby buildings.
