What Moscow fears in Ukraine: Shoigu talks with Washington, Paris, London and Ankara

The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had today telephone conversations with French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecorny and his Turkish counterparts Hulusi Akar and British Ben Wallace on the issue of the war in Ukraine, the Russian military announced.

For Russia’s defense minister, these are very intensive talks in a single day for the first time since the start of the Russian offensive at the end of February.

During his conversation with Sébastien Lecorny, the Russian minister expressed dissatisfaction with the situation in Ukraine “where there is a tendency for uncontrolled escalation,” according to the Russian military statement.

He also spoke, as did his counterparts Hulusi Akar and Ben Wallaceabout Russian “concerns related to possible provocative actions by Ukraine with the use of a ‘dirty bomb,'” according to the Russian military.

France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces confirmed in a statement the reference to “Russian fears” of a strike “with a dirty bomb by the Ukrainians on their territory to blame Russia”.

Sébastien Lecorny recalled that “France rejects any form of escalation, especially nuclear”, also emphasizing France’s determination “to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, alongside its allies”.

On Friday, Sergei Shoigu had a telephone conversation with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin, in their second conversation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The situation in Ukraine was one of the topics discussed, according to Moscow and Washington.

The contacts come as Russia faces another major Ukrainian counteroffensive, citing a “significant increase” in Ukrainian attacks in several Russian border areas.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has rejected claims made by his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in a phone call that Western countries are facilitating Kiev’s plan to escalate the war in Ukraine.

“The Secretary of Defense rejected these allegations and stressed that these allegations should not be used as a pretext for further escalation,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

Russia’s Defense Minister had today a second telephone conversation in three days with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

Moscow gave no further information on the content of the conversation.

RES-EMP

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