Russia says negotiations with Ukraine are impossible.

According to the TASS news agency, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Moscow Tanju Bilgic on August 19, condemned the terrorist attack by Ukraine in the Kursk region and emphasized that, in this context, negotiations with Kyiv are impossible.

“The situation surrounding Ukraine has been discussed. The Russian side strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attack by Ukrainian armed forces in the Kursk region of Russia. This incident occurred while all parties were negotiating with Kyiv on the prospects of reaching a political and diplomatic solution,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin.

Deputy Secretary Galuzin said that the opportunity for negotiations is now almost nonexistent.

"It has also been pointed out that it is impossible to discuss energy and food security issues, as well as humanitarian aspects in Ukraine, which the West is trying to impose as a follow-up to the outcome of the peace summit on Ukraine in Bürgenstock, Switzerland in June 2024," Deputy Minister Galuzin said.

Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry also noted that, in this context, the head of the Turkish foreign ministry confirmed Moscow's firm position that the "Bürgenstock process," aimed at forming an anti-Russian alliance and issuing an ultimatum to Russia based on the agreement, is unacceptable. The "Zelensky formula" is unfeasible and will be destroyed.

"It should be noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin's initiative on June 14 opened up a real prospect for Kyiv to achieve a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict. However, Kyiv irresponsibly squandered this opportunity," the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.

On the Kursk front, Major General Apti Alaudinov, Commander of the Akhmat Special Forces and Deputy Director of Political-Military Affairs of the Russian Ministry of Defense, stated that Ukrainian armed forces had seized the first floor of an orphanage in the Kursk region, and the children and teachers were driven to the second floor to use as human shields.