As Russia-US summit nears, Moscow accuses Kyiv of escalating attacks

Moscow [Russia], August 13 (ANI): As the much-anticipated Russia-US summit draws near, Moscow has accused Kyiv of ramping up attacks in Russian regions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed on Wednesday that Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes over the past week have left 22 people dead and 105 wounded, with a total of 127 citizens affected.

"With the #RussiaUS Summit approaching, the Kiev regime has stepped up its terrorist activity against Russian regions," the Ministry posted on X.

The ministry also shared a map showing the attacked border areas marked with red dots.

The Russian Ministry also said that Kyiv "never sought peace" and views negotiations merely as a way to "prolong hostilities and cling to power."

The accusations come just two days before US President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Anchorage, the largest city in the state, has been finalised for the meeting of both leaders on Friday, August 15, following a hectic search for a suitable venue during Alaska's busy summer tourist season. According to CNN, the military base, located on the city's northern edge, was ultimately selected due to its ability to meet strict security requirements, despite the White House's initial reluctance to host the Russian delegation on a US military installation.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated his refusal to withdraw forces from Donbass, dismissing any possibility of a land swap with Russia, Russia Today reported.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Zelensky insisted, "We will not leave Donbass. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the main issue, our territories are illegally occupied."

He warned that ceding land would only encourage Russia to launch another offensive "in a couple of years" and push further into Ukraine, according to RT.

"Any issue of territories cannot be separated from security guarantees. Otherwise, now they want to gift them about 9,000 square kilometres, this is about 30% of the Donetsk region, and this is a springboard for their new aggression," he claimed, according to RT. (ANI)

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