Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian actions in the Kharkiv region were a reaction to the shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces and aimed at creating a sanitary zone, while rejecting plans to seize Kharkiv. He said this during a visit to China. UNN writes with reference to Deutsche Welle.
Details
After his meetings with the Chinese leadership, Putin said that the Russian army's offensive in the north of Kharkiv region was aimed at creating a so-called "sanitary zone" in response to the Ukrainian army's shelling of Russian border areas, including Belgorod.
"As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans (to seize the city - ed.) as of today," Putin said.
He also noted that Russia is ready to take part in peace talks on Ukraine, but has not been invited to the conference in Switzerland.
He openly expressed doubts about the security clause in the so-called Istanbul agreements, but at the same time characterized this document as a potential basis for further negotiations.
Recall
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vovchansk was a key target of the Russian offensive in Kharkiv region as they sought to control a 10-kilometer zone from the border, but the situation has now stabilized.