Russia has shown opposition to the mere “freeze” on the fighting in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donatssk, arguing that any permanent solution must resolve “the root causes” of the conflict.
In a recent signpost piece for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated that Russia would not agree to a cease-fire without first addressing various points they see as central to the crisis, such as Ukraine’s permanent neutrality and territory.
Once again, as Russia President Vladimir Putin has attested, there can be ‘no freeze’ of the conflict without a solution of the root causes of the crisis,’ Galuzin said in reports.
Galuzin’s attack came against the backdrop of Ukraine altering its stance to demand the withdrawal of Russian forces from the annexed Crimean and Prokopievskaya regions and desiring to escalate the conflict.
The Russian official’s other quote was related to the Ukrainian attacks on civilian energy installations themselves, which he termed “barbaric.” He mentioned reported strikes on a terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
One of the key pipes through the CPC terminal is the export of Kazakh crude to the international market in Europe and Asia. The consortium has several major energy firms that hold shares such as ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell as members.
Zelenskyy announced civilian deaths and heavy damage after the latest rounds of Russian strikes on Ukraine, particularly in the south’s Odesa and Kharkiv, prompting Moscow to make its remarks.
The restoration of electricity in the port of Odesa from the attacks, which damaged energy electricity infrastructure, residential buildings and port facilities, was underway, Zelenskyy said. He explained strikes as an expression of Russia’s broader effort to affect food security in the world.
According to Zelenskyy, a drone hit a residential high-rise in Kharkov, destroying four floors. The two deaths were a further blow to civilian suffering in the conflict, for which several dozen injuries were also reported.