The Russian presidency said yesterday (Thursday) that Moscow has no plans to proceed with the annexation of other parts of Ukraine during the war.
"There is no such question," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
However, he continued, "a lot of work remains to be done" to "liberate" the annexed regions from the control of the Ukrainian armed forces.
After holding hasty "referendums", Russia announced in September that it was proceeding with the annexation of the Luhansk, Daniyetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions, despite strong protests from Ukraine and the West, which denounced a flagrant violation of international law. None of the four regions were under the full control of the Russian army when their annexation was announced; on the contrary, the Ukrainian army has recently taken over other parts of them.
Under international law, Russia is an occupying power in these regions, which remain parts of Ukraine's territory.
Moreover, according to Peskov, Ukraine's declared intention to retake the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea, which Russia annexed in 2014, is a constant threat.
Authorities in Sevastopol said yesterday that a Ukrainian UAV struck the Russian Black Sea fleet.
"The danger undoubtedly continues, because the Ukrainian side continues on the line of organizing terrorist attacks," Kremlin spokesman Peskov said.
However, he added, it appeared that anti-aircraft defenses are effective.
Furthermore, the Russian presidential spokesman rejected the position recently expressed by Germany, according to which Ukraine is not obliged to limit military actions on its territory in the war it has been waging since the invasion of the Russian army on February 24. According to Mr. Peskov, this position raises the risk of further escalation of the armed conflict.
Areas of Russian territory, in particular Russian Air Force bases, have been repeatedly bombed in recent weeks.
Source: KYPE
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