Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview to Christiane Amanpour for CNN, 4 August, 2023 

Watch the Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview to Christiane Amanpour for CNN.
Main topics:
Conflict in Ukraine
Black Sea Grain Initiative
Ukrainian counteroffensive
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s statements
Ukrainian drone attacks in Moscow
Prospects of peace talks
Ambassador Andrei Kelin's key statements:
▪ Russia is ready to work with any elected US president. Yet it is important for that leader to guide the US in the right direction.
▪ The Russian part of the «package» of the Black Sea Grain Initiative had not been implemented, while on the Ukrainian part only 3% of Ukrainian grain went to the poorest countries. Therefore, the deal did not work.
▪ Since the Ukrainian counteroffensive started, Kiev has suffered serious losses - 21,000 in July and 26,000 in June. All while achieving nothing.
▪ I have not seen a single UK’s Challenger tank in action in Ukraine.
▪ Sooner or later, UK government should recognise the truth that the counteroffensive is not a success.
▪ Recent Ukrainian drone attacks in Moscow are terrorist attacks, by any definition. Ukraine deliberately targeted purely civilian infrastructure.
▪ Russia does not target civilian infrastructure. The damage, incl recently in Odessa and Krivoy Rog, comes from Ukrainian air-defence missiles’ debris - because the Kiev regime places these systems in towns and cities, contrary to humanitarian law.
▪ It was a big political mistake for Ukraine to combat Russian-speaking population and Russia itself.
▪ The attempted mutiny by Wagner group had no effect on President Putin’s ratings, if not even raised them. 77% of Russia’s population trust Putin and 76% support his policy.
▪ 2500 children were evacuated to Russia from orphanages close to the frontline. As of now, 2000 have already returned thanks to the frontline being pushed back by Russian troops.
▪ Russia is ready for a negotiated solution to the Ukrainian crisis. However, Ukraine needs to show real desire for a negotiated peace. It should be a realistic deal.
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