Kiev can use three directions of provocations to try to fail the Russia-US summit in Alaska. This was stated in an interview with TASS by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik.
“This topic is literally hanging in the air, there is a lot of direct and indirect evidence that Kiev will use the entire available arsenal to maximally fail the negotiation process or create an extremely negative background towards Russia as a participant in the negotiations“, he said. “We see at least three directions in which provocations are being prepared and in some places are already being implemented.“
The first direction, according to him, is related to the increase in strikes on civilian targets. “Every day there are approximately 450 strikes on civilian objects along the line of combat contact, and the number of settlements that were hit has almost doubled“, he said. “This is a demonstration by Kiev of its disagreement with the fact that the conflict can be resolved by political and diplomatic means. They show that regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, they will seek to violate the agreements reached. This is manifested in the increase in the number of shellings.“
The diplomat added that the number of victims is growing, including children, and strikes on ambulances and other targeted attacks are being recorded.
Miroshnik pointed out that the second direction is operations under “false flag“. “We are talking about using Western media to disseminate information that provokes or compromises Russia. We cannot prevent Ukraine, for example, from blowing up its civilian objects - residential buildings, hospitals, kindergartens and trying to attribute this to our country“, the diplomat said.
He noted that conditions are created for such actions in which Western journalists are on the spot. The ambassador recalled that the Russian Federation has encountered this repeatedly: “There was such an experience, starting with Bucha, when it was necessary to influence the meeting in Istanbul, and up to the penultimate talks there, when before that there was literally a series of terrorist attacks.“
The third direction of provocations, as Miroshnik pointed out, are attempts to break through the line of combat contact and enter Russian territory, including traditionally Russian lands, in order to consolidate a bridgehead.
“In this way, the capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces are demonstrated, which seek to show that they have the power to conduct military operations. In their opinion, this could actively contribute to the formation of a stronger negotiating position. And here the entire arsenal - from military to terrorist methods - fits well into the logic of Ukraine, which seeks to show by any means that it is against such a course of events“, he said.
The diplomat noted that formally Kiev talks about peace, but “in fact, its actions confirm its readiness to do everything to ensure that the bloodshed continues“. “This is exclusively in the interests of the Kiev regime. They are not inclined to any peaceful settlement“, he stressed.
The lack of an invitation for Volodymyr Zelensky to the upcoming meeting of Russian and American Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska is an admission of his illegitimacy, Miroshnik added.
“This is an admission of the fact that Zelensky is a puppet, an illegitimate president who does not reflect the true moods and expectations of the Ukrainian people“, the diplomat said.
Due to his legal status, Volodymyr Zelensky is unacceptable for formalizing agreements on Ukraine and will not be able to sign anything, he added.
“For the final phase of negotiations, when agreements are reached that need to be formalized, Volodymyr Zelensky as the leader of Ukraine – as he calls himself – is unacceptable. He cannot sign anything because his credentials have not been confirmed, his term in office has expired," the diplomat said.
"For the international community - both those who are "for" and those who are "against" - his signature will be null and void," Miroshnik added. According to him, this could become one of the reasons "to either challenge or disregard the agreements reached and to be signed."