Russia calls Ukraine war ‘existential’, strikes back
The Hindu
Kremlin calls Ukraine war "existential," launches retaliatory strikes; peace talks stall amid escalating violence.
The Kremlin said on Friday (June 6, 2025) the Ukraine war was “existential” for Russia after it launched a wave of retaliatory drone and missile strikes that killed three rescue workers in Kyiv.
The comments are Moscow’s latest to dampen hopes for a breakthrough amid a flurry of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as well as telephone calls between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at stopping the fighting.
On Friday (June 6, 2025) — days after the second round of Ukrainian-Russian ceasefire negotiations in Turkey ended without meaningful progress — the Kremlin cast its three-year invasion as nothing short of a battle for the "future" of Russia.
“For us it is an existential issue, an issue of our national interest, safety, our future and the future of our children, of our country,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to remarks by Mr. Trump on Thursday (June 5, 2025) comparing Moscow and Kyiv to brawling children.
Mr. Peskov's comments came shortly after the Russian defence ministry said its forces had launched the "massive" missile and drone strike in "response" to recent attacks by Kyiv on its territory.
Ahead of the talks this week in Istanbul, an audacious Ukrainian drone attack damaged nuclear-capable military planes at Russian air bases, including thousands of kilometres behind the front lines in Siberia.
Mr. Putin had told Mr. Trump he would retaliate for the brazen operation, 18 months in the planning, in which Ukraine smuggled more than 100 small drones into Russia, parked them near Russian air bases and unleashed them in a coordinated attack.
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