Russian officials moved quickly on Wednesday to contradict President Trump’s assertion that Moscow had already signed on to certain compromises toward ending the war, dismissing the idea of imminent agreement even as their military unleashed another devastating drone barrage on Ukrainian civilians.
After Trump said the day before that US envoys had made headway in talks with both Kyiv and Moscow — and that Russia had signed off on unspecified concessions — the Kremlin publicly pushed back, saying no such progress had been reached.
In Moscow, senior officials stressed that the idea of Russia softening its stance was pure fiction. Sergei Ryabkov, a deputy foreign minister, declared that “There can be no talk of any concessions or surrender of our approaches to the key aspects of resolving the problems facing us, including in the context of the special operation [in Ukraine],” a firm rejection of any notion that an agreement is in sight.
Trump did not elaborate on what concessions he believed had been secured, but the Kremlin made clear that none existed.
Pressed on whether a breakthrough might be close, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov brushed off the suggestion, responding: “It’s premature to say that yet.”
As this diplomatic back-and-forth played out, Russian forces launched one of their largest recent drone assaults on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday night, leaving at least 19 people injured and entire residential blocks burning.
Regional governor Ivan Fedorov said the onslaught ignited widespread fires, tore through apartment buildings, and destroyed vehicles across multiple neighborhoods. “A rescue operation is currently underway at 12 locations,” he reported in an online video, adding that “The maximum number of units from the State Emergency Services, national police and our medical teams has been deployed.”
Photos and videos shared on social media captured firefighters struggling to contain towering flames, twisted vehicles, and charred high-rise facades.
Ukraine’s air force later announced it had intercepted 72 of the 90 drones Russia launched overnight, along with two ballistic missiles, in one of the heaviest nationwide barrages in weeks.
{Matzav.com}
