Moscow, March 19 (IANS) Russia on Wednesday labelled the Ukrainian attacks against power infrastructure in the Kuban region of the country as sabotage and an attempt to disrupt the peace initiatives announced by President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on the ongoing conflict.
“Information has already been widely available about the command of the Russian President, the command of the Supreme Commander-in-chief of Russia about termination of strikes against Ukrainian power facilities for the period of 30 days at the moment of launching these attacks. The Kyiv regime did nothing to cancel them. Therefore, such actions definitely run counter to these common efforts,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local media in Moscow on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed that it will comply with the call to cease strikes on energy infrastructure facilities if a corresponding agreement is reached at the upcoming technical meeting with the United States in Saudi Arabia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that “energy facilities”, “infrastructure facilities” should be included in the list of objects subject to the ceasefire.
Zelensky mentioned that Kyiv needs to work out a mechanism to monitor compliance regarding the ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation, highlighting the need for peace and a ceasefire to end the conflict with Ukraine.
Trump and Putin agreed that the movement to peace would begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire, and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East, read a statement issued after the phone call.
However, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, Kyiv still continued to attack energy facilities in the Krasnodar Region with drones as a “premeditated provocation” aimed at undermining the peace initiatives.
“We regret to note that, so far, there has been no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime. There have been attempts to attack our energy infrastructure facilities, as you are aware. Relevant information is available,” said Peskov.
–IANS
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