Moscow [Russia], September 12 : Communication between the negotiating teams of Russia and Ukraine has been "paused", Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, Tass reported.
"Communication channels are available, those have been established. Even as our negotiators have the opportunity to communicate via these channels, rather, we can state that this communication has been paused," Peskov said, when asked about contacts between negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv.
Since May, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of direct talks. As a result of the first two rounds of negotiations, they agreed on the exchange of prisoners under a "thousand for a thousand" formula, as well as on the return of seriously ill and young (under 25) prisoners under an "all for all" format - at least a thousand people from each side.
Also, as a follow-up to the Istanbul agreements, in June, Moscow transferred to Kiev the first 6,060 bodies of dead Ukrainian servicemen and received 78 dead Russian soldiers; and on July 17, another 1,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, receiving in response 19 bodies of fallen Russian soldiers.
Following the third round of Russia-Ukraine talks which took place in Istanbul on July 23, the parties agreed to exchange civilians along with service members. Russia invited Ukraine to set up three online working groups to address political, military and humanitarian issues.
In addition, Moscow offered to transfer the bodies of another 3,000 Ukrainian troops to Kiev and resume short humanitarian pauses on the frontline in order to collect the wounded and the dead.
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian regime appeared intent on preventing meaningful negotiations with Russia, as stated by Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for addressing the crimes committed by Kyiv's, authorities told Tass.
"They are striking homes and civilian populations, and attacking public transport with a clear purpose - to sway public opinion. Their goal is to destabilize morale and provoke an incident that could either undermine negotiations or, ideally, lead to their complete collapse. Kiev's strategy is to pressure Russia into abandoning talks altogether, by creating a climate where civilians are led to believe that negotiation offers no hope," he told Tass.
Russia and Ukraine last exchanged the bodies of their killed servicemen on August 19, with Russia transferring 1,000 bodies and Ukraine 19, Tass reported.