Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes as a step towards peace but Moscow saw them as a means to distract from Russia's aim of fully capturing four regions in its military campaign.

"It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin told a Russian television interviewer.

Russia, he said, had no intention of "salvaging the Kyiv regime."

Ukrainian attacks were "aimed at diverting our attention and forces from achieving the main objectives – the complete liberation of Donbas and Novorossiya," a reference to the two regions of the Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Putin: strikes won't force Russia into talks from weaker position, dismisses new Kyiv proposals

VIDEO SHOWS: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKING ON UKRAINIAN STRIKES ON RUSSIAN TERRITORY, POSSIBLE SETTLEMENT TALKS AND CURRENT PROPOSALS, BATTLEFIELD SITUATION

SHOWS: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 28, 2026) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKING AT INTERVIEW

2. INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Strikes on our civilian infrastructure are not carried out solely to inflict damage on us, although that is also important for the enemy. They are also aimed at feeding into an information campaign, or, more precisely, an information operation as part of the confrontation with Russia. Its aim is at least to creating a sense of uncertainty in us, in our own capabilities, and ideally of causing a split within Russian society, and forcing Russia to suspend, even if only briefly, the advance of our troops along the line of contact, creating conditions for the start of a negotiation process on terms favourable to the adversary. We will not give them that chance."

4. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Yes, indeed, there are contacts (with Ukraine). They are established through several channels, I do not see any secret in this. There are new proposals, including a proposal for a meeting with the head of the Kyiv regime, these proposals are well known. There is also a request to halt hostilities, at least briefly, along the line of contact, that is not new either. But there are also new proposals, and I can name some of them. For example, to stop strikes deep into each other’s territory. It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our retaliatory strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are far more powerful, more sensitive and, frankly, more destructive, leading to serious consequences for the Kyiv regime."

6. PUTIN SPEAKING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Another proposal is to limit combat to four territories, meaning to conduct military operations only in Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia region, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, while ceasing combat in all other areas. The reasoning is also clear. If we were to agree to this, it would allow the Ukrainian armed forces to withdraw troops from Mykolaiv region, Dnipropetrovsk region, Kharkiv region and Sumy region, as well as from certain sections of the state border, and redeploy these units to the four regions I mentioned."

8. PUTIN SPEAKING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"In conditions of a catastrophic personnel shortage, Ukraine’s armed forces apparently believe this could be a salvage for them. But salvaging the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans. At the same time, we treat every proposal coming from that side with close attention, I say this without any irony."

10. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"I would like to remind you that the objective for Russian troops in the Sumy and Vovchansk directions is to create a security buffer along our borders. This task was set following the incursion by Ukraine’s armed forces into Kursk region and the continued attacks on our border areas. The Ukrainian regime will pay for its crimes on Kursk soil with the loss of land needed by us to establish a security zone along the border."

12. INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS