The Kremlin firmly rejected the idea of a territorial exchange with Ukraine, dismissing President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal as impossible and non-negotiable.
"This is impossible. Russia has never, and will never, discuss the exchange of our territory," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on February 12.
His comments came after Zelensky suggested that Ukraine was open to negotiating a "one-for-one" land swap with Russia to end the war. The Ukrainian president specifically referenced areas in Russia’s Kursk region that Ukrainian forces currently control, proposing an exchange for territory under Russian occupation in Ukraine.
However, Peskov dismissed the idea outright, emphasizing that Russian forces would "push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk."
"They will be defeated and driven out of our land," he added.
Moscow’s Strong Response: ‘Only Strength Brings Peace’
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, also condemned the land swap proposal, calling it "nonsense."
"The only way to ‘clear the minds’ of those suggesting such ideas is to make them feel the true power of Russia," Medvedev said.
He asserted that Russia can only achieve peace through strength, not through "some imaginary balance of power."
Medvedev's remarks came shortly after Russia launched a major missile and drone strike on Ukraine, using:
- 7 Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles
- Modified S-400 air defense missiles
- 123 Geran suicide drones
Ukraine’s Air Force Command reported that the attack targeted Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown. Ukrainian officials also noted that air raid sirens were only activated when the missiles were already approaching, suggesting that Russia used radar-evading missiles to bypass early warning systems.
Russia’s Military Position and Future Strategy
After nearly three years of war, Russia now controls about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, approximately 112,000 square kilometers. Meanwhile, Ukraine has occupied around 450 square kilometers in Russia’s Kursk region.
President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Russian forces will "certainly push Ukrainian troops out of Russian territory," though he has declined to set a specific timeline for achieving this goal.
(Sources: TASS, AFP, Reuters)
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