MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. Russia has been told directly through various channels that Ukraine wants to undermine its energy sector and tourist season via strikes, President Vladimir Putin told the government.
He also instructed the government and the Defense Ministry to minimize the impact of the Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure.
TASS has compiled the key statements of the head of state.
Kiev’s tactics and goals
Ukraine has taken to attacking civilian targets amid continued losses on the battlefield: “We know and see that as the situation on the front line rapidly deteriorates for the Kiev regime, as the enemy loses territory after territory, and our soldiers occupy one settlement after another, the regime has adopted the tactic of attacking our civilian targets and infrastructure.”
Russia is being told directly through various channels that Ukraine is trying to hurt Russia’s energy sector and tourist season with its attacks: “[Kiev] is trying to create problems with energy resources and influence the tourist season. We are hearing this directly through various channels.”
Instructions to mitigate threats
It is necessary to minimize the consequences of Ukrainian attacks: “First of all, the task of mitigating these threats lies with the Defense Ministry and other law enforcement agencies. At the same time, the government of the Russian Federation should also take additional measures to minimize and nullify the consequences of such actions.”
Readiness for talks
The peace talks were interrupted at Ukraine’s initiative.
Russia is ready for the peace talks with Ukraine based on the Istanbul agreements: “As has already been stated, Russia is ready for the peace talks with Ukraine, based on the agreements that were reached back in Istanbul, and, let me remind you, initialed by the Ukrainian delegation there, meaning they were satisfied with everything.”
There is no reason to deviate from the Istanbul agreements: “I can see no grounds for our side to deviate from these agreements.”
The Istanbul agreements, the modalities of the Anchorage summit, the reality on the ground, and the principles outlined by Putin in his address to the Russian Foreign Ministry in June 2024 are the four pillars for talks with Ukraine: “Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine, based on the agreements reached back in Istanbul, based on the modalities that were discussed in Anchorage, and, most importantly, based on the reality on the ground and the principles laid out by me during my speech at the Foreign Ministry a couple of years ago.”
