“Russia’s readiness for peace talks with Ukraine was not in doubt, but it was destroyed by Kiev’s reckless move in the Kursk region,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference after talks with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yassin Fol.

“We always remember that Putin made the last peace proposal in June, after all previous initiatives and agreements were destroyed and sabotaged by the Kiev regime and its Western backers. “Our readiness for talks was beyond anyone’s doubt, although of course, after the reckless move in the Kursk region, any discussion on this topic is no longer relevant,” he said.

Ukrainian forces launched an attack on the Kursk region on August 6. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost up to 7.000 soldiers and 74 tanks since fighting began in the Kursk area. The action to destroy the Ukrainian formations is ongoing.

The president of Ukraine previously said that Ukrainian armed forces continue to increase the territory under their control “along the border with Ukraine” as part of the invasion of Russia’s Kursk region, DPA reported.

Zelensky did not elaborate on what was said, but added that more Russian prisoners of war had been captured and could be used in a possible future exchange.

Thank you, fighters!” This is something that will bring home so many of our people from Russian captivity,” Zelensky said.