No indirect talks with Ukraine, says Russia

Russia on Sunday rejected a report claiming that Ukraine's attack on the Kursk region had disrupted indirect discussions with Kyiv aimed at ceasing strikes on energy and power infrastructure. 

Russia asserted that there had been no negotiations with Kyiv regarding civilian infrastructure.

According to The Washington Post, Ukraine and Russia were scheduled to send delegations to Qatar this month to discuss a significant agreement to halt attacks on energy and power infrastructure by both sides. 

The Post indicated that this agreement would have constituted a partial ceasefire, but the talks were reportedly derailed by Ukraine's attack on Russian territory.

"No one broke anything off because there was nothing to break off," Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry, said of the Post report.

"There have been no direct or indirect negotiations between Russia and the Kyiv regime on the safety of civilian critical infrastructure facilities."Ukraine's government did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. 

The Post reported that Ukraine's presidential office said the summit in Doha had been postponed due to the situation in the Middle East and that it would take place in video conference format on Aug. 22.

Russia and Ukraine have both accused each other of striking civilian infrastructure in the war. Both deny they do so.

Zakharova then quoted President Vladimir Putin who on Aug. 12 questioned what talks there could be with Ukraine after its ground attack on Russia, and what he said were attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure.

"There is nothing to talk about with people who unleash such things," Zakharova said.

Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 in what it calls a "special military operation" and now holds about 18 percent of the country. Ukraine's cross-border strike into the Kursk region on Aug. 6 was the first military incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.