Putin says bridge attacks in Bryansk, Kursk regions show Ukraine does not want peace
ISTANBUL
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Wednesday that the attacks on bridges on the border regions last week show that Ukraine does not want to achieve peace.
Seven people were killed and more than 110 were injured after two road bridges collapsed in the Bryansk and Kursk regions overnight May 31, which Russia’s Investigative Committee defined Tuesday as a “terrorist attack” conducted “on the orders of the Kyiv regime.”
Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the attacks.
During a meeting with government officials, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s position on the attacks in Bryansk and Kursk as being a “terrorist act” based on “all international norms,” arguing that the decisions to commit to such actions were “made in Ukraine at the political level.”
“All the crimes that were committed against civilians … on the eve of the next round of peace talks we proposed in Istanbul, were certainly aimed at disrupting the negotiation process,” Putin said, claiming civilians were “deliberately targeted.”
The Russian president accused Ukraine’s government of “gradually” turning “into a terrorist organization,” and said Kyiv’s partners are becoming “accomplices of terrorists,” arguing that it has begun undertaking such actions “against the backdrop of huge losses, retreating along the entire line of combat contact, trying to intimidate Russia.”
“How can such meetings be held in these conditions? What should we talk about? Who is negotiating with those who rely on terror, with terrorists?” Putin said about Ukraine’s proposal to implement an unconditional ceasefire ahead of a potential leaders’ meeting.
He went on to say that Ukraine’s refusal of Russia’s proposal for a partial ceasefire of two to three days “does not surprise” Moscow.
“It does not surprise us, but only convinces us that today’s Kyiv regime does not need peace at all,” he added.
Ukrainian authorities have not responded to Putin’s remarks.
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