Russian President Vladimir Putin urged on Friday Ukraine’s troops in Russia’s Kursk region to surrender after his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump asked the Russian leader to spare the lives of “thousands of Ukrainian troops.”
“We have reviewed today’s statement by U.S. President Trump…we emphasize that Ukrainian militants have committed numerous crimes against civilians in the incursion zone,” Putin said in a televised address, adding that Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office classified “these actions” as terrorism.
“I want to emphasize that if they lay down their arms and surrender, their lives will be guaranteed, and they will be treated with dignity in accordance with international law and the laws of the Russian Federation,” Putin said.
“In this context, for President Trump’s call to be effectively implemented, the Ukrainian military-political leadership must issue the appropriate order to their military units to lay down arms and surrender,” he added.
Trump’s statement came after Kyiv agreed to a U.S.-brokered 30-day ceasefire during negotiations in Saudi Arabia. The Kremlin has not formally accepted the deal to pause fighting, but Putin voiced support for the proposal in principle while raising concerns over Ukrainian troops in Russia’s partially occupied Kursk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged Friday that the country’s troops were coming under mounting pressure from the Kremlin's army in Kursk.
Since Kyiv launched its cross-border assault into Kursk last August — the largest by a foreign army into Russia since World War II — Moscow has been pushing back.
The Russian counteroffensive in Kursk has wrested much of the land Ukraine originally captured, denying Kyiv a vital point of leverage over Moscow in any potential peace talks.
AFP contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
