Russia Rejects Conflict Freeze as Ukraine Reports Civilian Casualties

The Federal Government of Russia has rejected proposals to freeze the conflict in Ukraine, asserting that any lasting peace requires addressing the root causes of the crisis. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated that Russia will not accept a ceasefire unless Ukraine adopts a neutral status, abandons plans to join NATO, and formally recognizes Crimea and the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson as Russian territory.

Galuzin accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of escalating the conflict through "barbaric" attacks on civilian energy infrastructure, specifically citing strikes on a Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Novorossiysk. He further claimed that Zelenskyy has "completely lost touch with reality."

Simultaneously, President Zelenskyy reported significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage resulting from Russian aerial campaigns. He detailed a drone strike in Kharkiv that killed two people and attacks in Odesa that left eight injured and 300,000 families without power. Zelenskyy characterized the strikes on Odesa's port and energy facilities as a systematic war against global food security, calling for increased international sanctions and enhanced air defense support for Ukraine.