Answers to media questions

Question: Mr President, you said earlier that the trilateral format negotiations of Russia, the United States and Ukraine could resume after the State Duma elections. The elections have concluded. Where and when could a new round of negotiations take place?

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: As is well known, the Ukrainian side broke off the negotiations that were held in Istanbul. But now - or rather, even before the elections, about 10 days or a couple of weeks ago - it declared its readiness to resume these negotiations. Indeed, we said that negotiations are unlikely to be held before the State Duma elections, and that we will be ready to resume these contacts following them.

However, the recent developments are also well known to everyone. On the night of September 20, that is, on the main voting day, a massive strike was launched against Moscow. More than 1,600 drones entered the area near Moscow. This is the first point.

Second. Strikes were carried out on polling stations. In one location, the polling station was located in a school; the school was virtually destroyed by the strike. Attacks began on the residential homes of the chairpersons of territorial election commissions. In one case, the chairperson of a territorial commission, her husband and her child were injured. In another case, it unfortunately resulted in tragedy, and, as you know, the chair of the territorial election commission was killed as her home was the target of the strike.

In addition, as we are currently in St Petersburg, I think everyone remembers the St Petersburg International Economic Forum being held, when the Ukrainian authorities targeted St Petersburg, hitting the so-called coal harbour in the port and setting it on fire. Who did they want to scare, us or our guests? Those who work with Russia are unlikely to be scared of anything or run away. And no one did. We held that forum to the end.

Then, starting in June, they began targeting our oil refineries. As is also well known, in June they announced the start of a forty-day operation. Well, this led to certain losses on our part.

In addition, they tried to organise a naval blockade of our Black Sea coast. They damaged over 100 ships, 100 vessels, including both Russian ones and those flying foreign flags. Yes, we have restored all of this. But these are active operations that…

After that, they started targeting civilian facilities such as Wildberries or Ozon storage facilities. What is this? What's the point? Nevertheless, it has been done.

After that, we started responding to each item. Well, it appears that the retaliatory actions by the Russian Armed Forces have been so sensitive and devastating for the enemy that they are now once again actively raising the issue of a ceasefire across several areas, as they themselves put it: the energy sector (that is, they are now ready to stop attacking our oil refineries), and the air sector (a mutual ceasefire). In particular, we see that they want us to stop the strikes by Geran drones - modern Gerans - against which, there are no countermeasures or an antidote, at least now, and to lift the blockade of their Black Sea coast. However, they are the ones who started it all. They started it on every single point.

What is this, child's play? Is this some kind of a children's game? In other words, they must feel the retaliatory blows from Russia and understand that no provocations and no escalation of the situation will bring about the desired result for them. They are only making the situation worse for themselves.

Therefore, all these actions aimed at so-called reconciliation, and the proposal to resume negotiations, they are all on the table, all this is possible. But after everything they have done, we will think twice about what we need to do in response. And in any case, we will make all decisions in this area, including those regarding the possible resumption of the negotiation process, based on the interests of the Russian Federation.

To be continued.