Talks are a cover, the offensive is real. Russian forces have effectively launched a large-scale summer offensive, reports Pavlo Shamshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group, according to UNIAN.
Despite Moscow’s statements about readiness for negotiations, Russian advances are intensifying across the front lines.
In the south, Russian forces are trying to break through toward the administrative borders of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, indicating a coordinated effort to widen the battlefront.
“At this point, the enemy is amassing forces. In fact, the summer offensive has already begun, and I wouldn’t count on any ceasefire in the near future,” Shamshyn reveals.
Commenting on the talks in Istanbul, Shamshyn has dismissed the Russian delegation as “nobodies,” saying the negotiations should not be taken seriously. In his view, Russia is once again using such talks as a smokescreen to prepare for further attacks.
On 12 May, Ukraine and its Western allies called for a full and unconditional ceasefire, lasting at least 30 days. They threatened to impose tougher sanctions if Russia refused to stop fighting. However, Russia did not observe it. Ukrainian authorities have reported that ceasefire proposals have been ignored, but no sanctions have yet been implemented.
Today, Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to meet in Istanbul for peace negotiations, marking the first direct talks since 2022. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend, instead sending a lower-level delegation led by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had insisted on Putin’s presence, stating that only the Russian leader has the authority to make binding decisions and resolve the war.