Russia has announced plans to expand its so-called buffer zone inside Ukraine, with the Kremlin saying the move is a response to what it described as an escalation of Ukrainian military actions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow intends to enlarge the zone as Ukrainian forces continue attacks on targets inside Russian territory. His comments came after Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries in southern Russia as well as the port city of Taganrog on the Sea of Azov.
Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin remains open to a diplomatic settlement of the war, but claimed that Kyiv is currently unwilling to engage in negotiations. “That is why Moscow is continuing its military campaign in Ukraine,” he told Reuters.
The Kremlin spokesman also accused Ukraine of carrying out attacks directly targeting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, a claim Kyiv has previously rejected.
Meanwhile, international efforts to support Ukraine are continuing. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to attend a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” in Paris on Monday, hosted as part of efforts to coordinate assistance for Kyiv.
