Russian dictator Putin claims that peace talks with Ukraine are frozen. At the same time, he has threatened increased “large-scale strikes” on Ukraine’s energy sector.

He told Russian media about this after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit,  Censor.NET reports .

About contacts with US intelligence agencies

The dictator stated that contacts between representatives of the Russian and US special services are ongoing, citing as an example the recent transfer to the American side of a US citizen who was in prison in the Russian Federation.

” Contacts always exist, always have existed — even in the most difficult times of the Cold War — and now they are happening even more ,” Putin said.

On the status of negotiations

Responding to a question about a possible expansion of the circle of participants in the negotiations on Ukraine, Putin stated that Moscow is not against involving additional parties if they are able to make a real contribution to the process.

” We are for the negotiations to be filled with concrete content. If someone makes or can make a concrete contribution, we are all for it. The only thing we would not like is for everything to go on in a meaningless mode. But if someone is able to bring some positive to this negotiation process, which is to some extent frozen today, then in general we are not against it ,” the dictator said.

Regarding US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Putin said that both are “always welcome guests” if they can make a positive contribution to the talks. He said that the talks need specialists, military personnel and diplomats.

Order on strikes on the energy sector

• Putin said he had instructed the Russian Armed Forces to launch massive retaliatory strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure: ” The Russian Armed Forces have received an order to destroy Ukraine’s energy sector with massive strikes .”

About the situation at the front

The Russian dictator claimed that Russian troops were increasing the pace of the offensive in the combat zone, and the liberation of the territory of the so-called DPR was proceeding according to plan.

” I have no doubt that the enemy will fall ,” Putin said, adding that in August alone, 270 square kilometers and 15 settlements were allegedly taken under the control of Russian troops. According to him, street fighting is already underway in Dobropillya, which he called an important logistics center. And the Russian army is supposedly 12 km away from the ring road in Sumy, Putin said. Джерело: https://censor.net/ua/n4021320

(C)UNIAN 2026