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Dmitry Medvedev Photo: Reuters
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Kyiv sees convergence of positions in the negotiations
The Kremlin has attacked Russians and announced that many people in Russia are portraying themselves as traitors, citing those who are leaving their jobs and the country. The speech came from presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov and came just a day after Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to Russian “traitors” whom he said the West wanted to use as a “fifth column” to destroy the country.
“In such difficult times, many people show their true nature. Many people appear, as we say in Russian, as traitors. They themselves disappear from society. Some are leaving their posts, some are leaving their active professional lives, some are leaving the country and moving to other countries. This is how this cleansing is happening, “Peskov said, referring to Putin’s words that Russia will pass
through naturally
and necessary
self-cleaning,
and the people can distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev has threatened that Russia has the power to put US-led enemies in their place, and Moscow will thwart the West’s Russophobic conspiracy to tear his country apart.
“The fierce Russophobia in the West will obviously never get to the bottom of it. NATO’s expansion to our borders, the economic and information war waged against our country on all fronts, the endless threats, the fierce persecution of our citizens abroad. “All this is the reason for the extraordinary deterioration of the international situation that the whole world is experiencing these days,” Medvedev was quoted as saying by Reuters. He stressed that the line of conduct of Western countries towards Russia in recent years is “disgusting, criminal and immoral.” According to him, the West “does not like the fact that Russia has once again become a strong country capable of defending its interests and its own citizens in other countries.”
At the same time, a fierce verbal skirmish broke out between Moscow and Washington after US President Joe Biden first called Putin a “war criminal” for the invasion. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki explained that Biden said it with all his heart after seeing television footage of the brutal actions of a brutal dictator.
A Kremlin spokesman described Biden’s words as “unacceptable and unforgivable.”
Peskov also assured that Moscow is investing enormous energy in the negotiations for a possible peace agreement with Kyiv, which could quickly stop the Russian military operation there.
Asked about the Financial Times report that Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a preliminary peace plan, Peskov commented: “It’s not true – there are elements that are right, but generally untrue.”
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out the priorities that the country stands for in the negotiations – stopping the war, restoring territorial integrity and security guarantees.
In turn, Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to Zelensky, said Moscow’s position in negotiations with Ukraine has softened.
“I can say that the Russian delegation has softened sharply recently. Now they judge the world around them more objectively and behave very correctly. There is no rudeness inherent in the Russian authorities. Of course, their worldview is distorted by their own propaganda, “he said. In addition, Podoliak added that “initially Russia came up with many demands, most of which are no longer being considered,” and has a much better understanding of all points.
Western intelligence says about 7,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and 14,000 wounded. That’s nearly one-fifth of the approximately 150,000 men Putin had gathered at the border before ordering an attack 22 days ago. The information coincides with estimates of the British authorities, who claim that
the invasion of
Moscow has stopped
on all fronts with minimal progress by land, sea or air in the last 24 hours, while the Russian president continues to suffer “heavy losses”.
However, Russian bombings of Ukrainian cities continue, with the capital hit by several rockets on Thursday, one of which was shot down, although its wreckage struck a 16-storey apartment building, killing one person and causing fires that injured dozens of others.
Kyiv has accused Russia of destroying a historic theater in besieged Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians, including many children, were hiding. Dozens were reported killed in the attack, but Moscow said it was a lie and it was not bombing cities, only strategic military sites.
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