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Wednesday, Apr 02, 2025
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Kremlin Signals Ceasefire in Ukraine May Postpone into 2026
Tensions escalate as Russia conducts drone attacks amid stalled negotiations.
A senior Kremlin official has indicated that a ceasefire in Ukraine may not be realized this year, suggesting that ongoing negotiations have encountered significant obstacles.
Grigory Karasin, who recently headed Russia's negotiating team in discussions with the United States, remarked that it would be 'naive' to anticipate immediate progress from the initial meetings, and further noted that a truce may not materialize 'this year or at the end of this year.' Karasin pointed out that while talks have yet to yield 'any radical breakthrough,' he acknowledged the presence of potential opportunities for future agreements.
In the context of these negotiations, Russia has rejected a proposed full 30-day ceasefire, which was advocated by both Ukraine and the United States.
Instead, both nations have only managed to agree on a limited cessation of strikes specifically targeting Black Sea and energy infrastructure, although accusations of violations have been exchanged between the two sides.
In a related escalation, Ukrainian officials have reported that late Saturday evening, two individuals lost their lives and approximately 35 others were injured following an attack in Kharkiv.
The strikes were attributed to Russian drone activity, which targeted various locations including a military hospital, a shopping center, and residential buildings.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the fatalities, identifying the victims as a 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman during the assault on Ukraine's second-largest city.
Ukrainian military sources condemned the attack, characterizing it as 'deliberate, targeted shelling' that included casualties among servicemen who were in treatment at the military hospital.
Simultaneously, the Ukrainian Air Force disclosed data indicating that in the most recent wave of assaults, Russia deployed 111 drones, of which 65 were reportedly intercepted and an additional 35 were lost, likely due to electronic countermeasures.
The Russian Ministry of Defence, however, stated that its air defence systems successfully shot down six Ukrainian drones in the same operational period.
Amid these developments, Ukrainian military and government analysts have raised concerns that Russian forces are preparing for an upcoming military offensive, which may serve to exert further pressure on Ukraine and enhance the Kremlin's negotiating leverage in any future ceasefire discussions.
Grigory Karasin, who recently headed Russia's negotiating team in discussions with the United States, remarked that it would be 'naive' to anticipate immediate progress from the initial meetings, and further noted that a truce may not materialize 'this year or at the end of this year.' Karasin pointed out that while talks have yet to yield 'any radical breakthrough,' he acknowledged the presence of potential opportunities for future agreements.
In the context of these negotiations, Russia has rejected a proposed full 30-day ceasefire, which was advocated by both Ukraine and the United States.
Instead, both nations have only managed to agree on a limited cessation of strikes specifically targeting Black Sea and energy infrastructure, although accusations of violations have been exchanged between the two sides.
In a related escalation, Ukrainian officials have reported that late Saturday evening, two individuals lost their lives and approximately 35 others were injured following an attack in Kharkiv.
The strikes were attributed to Russian drone activity, which targeted various locations including a military hospital, a shopping center, and residential buildings.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the fatalities, identifying the victims as a 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman during the assault on Ukraine's second-largest city.
Ukrainian military sources condemned the attack, characterizing it as 'deliberate, targeted shelling' that included casualties among servicemen who were in treatment at the military hospital.
Simultaneously, the Ukrainian Air Force disclosed data indicating that in the most recent wave of assaults, Russia deployed 111 drones, of which 65 were reportedly intercepted and an additional 35 were lost, likely due to electronic countermeasures.
The Russian Ministry of Defence, however, stated that its air defence systems successfully shot down six Ukrainian drones in the same operational period.
Amid these developments, Ukrainian military and government analysts have raised concerns that Russian forces are preparing for an upcoming military offensive, which may serve to exert further pressure on Ukraine and enhance the Kremlin's negotiating leverage in any future ceasefire discussions.
