This information appeared on the department's website. The authors of this message also referred to the data of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, which claims that on May 20-23 it has recorded a multiple increase in the number of Ukrainian attacks using drones and western production rockets. Russian anti -aircraft defense allegedly destroyed 776 unmanned aerial vehicles and rockets, and 12 unmanned aircraft reached its goals.
“Further barbaric acts of terrorism of the Kiev regime are aimed at disrupting the process of direct Russian-Ukrainian conversations aimed at the final resolution of the conflict, which were resumed with the support of US administration, and preventing the implementation of the first agreements agreed on May 16 in Istanbul, including a large-scale exchange of war prisoners” in the Ministry's statement.
Its authors added that Russia would give an “adequate answer” to attacks, “by choosing only military facilities and enterprises of the military-industrial complex”. At the same time, they pointed out that “Russia's attachment to the constructive search for peaceful conflict solutions through dialogue remains unchanged.”
Andrij Kowalenko, who was the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation, reacted to the statement of the Russians.
“The Russians have some strange obsession. They attack Ukraine every day and threaten to respond to attacks. Instead of just stopping firing, which would end the war, the Russians refuse. It looks like they can attack. It's sick” – he wrote on a telegram.
On May 23, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov has expressed skepticism as to the success of future negotiations with Ukraine in the Vatican. He stated that this idea is “unrealistic”.
