Moscow declines negotiations with Kiev; Zelensky perceives objective achieved as offensive
Ukrainian forces went on the offensive in Kursk region unexpectedly on August 6, taking control of certain areas. This is the largest cross-border attack by Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aims to put more pressure on Russia and create a safety zone through this offensive. Previously, Zelenskyy had demanded the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian soil, including the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014, as a condition for discussions.
On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from occupied territories and abandon plans to join NATO.
Kremlin advisor Dmitry Ushakov stated on Monday that the Ukrainian offensive had made peace talks even harder to start. The possibility of discussions depends on the situation on the battlefield, including in the Kursk region, he said. Negotiations were already unlikely before the Ukrainian attack against Russia.
On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have seized another village in the disputed Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Salisne, a town, is one of the region's most populous centers, they stated.
However, Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of families with children from the strategically important city of Pokrovsk. On Monday, they reported four deaths in frontline areas from Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy announced that soldiers in Kursk were "achieving our objectives." Regarding captured Russian soldiers, the president said, "This morning, we've increased our country's exchange fund."
In recent days, Ukraine has destroyed two major bridges over the Russian River Seim to disrupt Moscow's supply routes to the combat zone. A third bridge was attacked over the weekend, according to a Russian military expert in a video published by Kremlin-friendly commentator Vladimir Solovyov.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday that Ukrainian attacks on three more villages in the Kursk region had been repelled. In Russia, there are claims that inexperienced conscripts have been deployed to protect the Kursk region to avoid sending experienced fighters back from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian attack is causing concern among Russians. Some in Kyiv hope it could change public opinion in the country against the Kremlin's ongoing conflict for over two years. "The Russians, used to watching the war on TV, are now experiencing it firsthand," explained Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak on the X online service.
In the city of Proletarsk in southwestern Russia, authorities declared a state of emergency after a fire triggered by a Ukrainian drone strike. Eighteen firefighters were injured in the response, according to Rostov region governor Vasily Golubev on Monday in the Telegram online service. Golubev had previously reported that debris from the air defense's interception of a drone had started a fire on the premises of an industrial facility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined his objectives and targets for the offensive in Kursk region, which include putting pressure on Russia and creating a safety zone. Kremlin advisor Dmitry Ushakov stated that the offensive had made peace talks harder to start due to the situation on the battlefield, suggesting that the Russian perspective also involves clear objectives and targets.
