Kremlin says it will achieve all of the aims of its ‘special military operations’ in Ukraine

A Kremlin spokesman dubbed Putin’s “BFF” has appeared on Russian TV to make a chilling promise surrounding the invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Picture: Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP)

Russia has said it will achieve all of the aims of its “special military operations” in Ukraine despite hopes that the Kremlin and Kyiv can ultimately sign some sort of peace deal.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state news channel, Russia 1, that despite talks of an ongoing deal with Ukraine, “I am convinced that the goals of our military operation will be achieved in full”.

Speaking about the possibility of President Vladimir Putin meeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Peskov said it would be “hypothetically possible” but would require a written document agreed by both sides at peace negotiations with Kyiv.

For the meeting to take place, Peskov said the delegations must produce a “specific document”.

“Not a set of ideas, but a specific written document,” he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Picture: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / AFP

Police officers patrol an area near the Kremlin in central Moscow on April 2. Picture: AFP

The Kremlin also said Sunday it is not possible to completely isolate Russia as the West continues piling sanctions on Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine.

“There can be no complete vacuum or isolation of Russia, it is technologically impossible in the modern world,” Peskov said.

The world is “much larger than Europe”, he said, adding: “Sooner or later we will have to build a dialogue, whether some overseas want it or not.”

Today in the parallel universe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov jokes he’s downloaded VPN.

‘It’s not forbidden,’ he laughs.

That’s after the country banned pretty much all social media, branding some ‘extremist organisations’, and a ton of news sites. pic.twitter.com/wbMeijLbW0

— Danny Armstrong (@DannyWArmstrong) April 3, 2022

Western capitals slapped Russia with unprecedented economic sanctions after Moscow moved troops into Ukraine on February 24.

There are also travel bans and asset freezes on a number of government figures, including President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier on Sunday, Russia’s top negotiator in ceasefire talks with Ukraine said it was too early for a top-level meeting on ending the conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Metzel, Presidential Press Service

Ukraine accuses Russia of war crimes

Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian troops of war crimes after the discovery of mass graves and civilians apparently “executed” in the streets of Bucha, near the capital Kyiv.

The claims came as explosions rocked the Black Sea port city of Odessa, which has largely been spared in the conflict, with air strikes apparently targeting key infrastructure.

The claims came as explosions rocked the Black Sea port city of Odessa, which has largely been spared in the conflict, with air strikes apparently targeting key infrastructure.

In Bucha, AFP reporters saw at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street. One had his hands tied behind his back with a white cloth, and his Ukrainian passport left open beside his body.

“All these people were shot,” Bucha’s mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said, adding that 280 other bodies had been buried in mass graves elsewhere in Bucha.