Kremlin debunks Zelenskyy's claims to win on battlefield by year-end

MOSCOW

The Kremlin on Friday debunked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's claims of winning on the battlefield against Russia, saying such statements are made solely for the benefit of "donors."

Zelenskyy promised advancements on the battlefield multiple times but failed to stick to his word, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a news briefing, brushing aside his latest statement in which he claimed to achieve success by the end of the year.

"It is time for them to realize that they will not be able to win on the battlefield," Peskov said.

"President Zelenskyy and the Kyiv regime are desperately promising military successes on the battlefield ... to their donors. Their previous promises have not come true. Donors are worried and begin to vibrate. Accordingly, Zelenskyy has no choice but to raise the degree of his eloquence to convince them," he said.

In the absence of the precondition for diplomatic settlement, Russia is to continue its "special military operation," he added.

The official called the attempt on the life of Russian military correspondent Aleksandr Kots's wife a "terrorist act," saying Russian reporters working on the frontlines are targets of Kyiv and therefore, they must exercise caution.

"These people risk their lives (at risk) covering events there, telling the entire world what is happening there. Our relevant law enforcement agencies are protecting them, but it is very important (for them) to observe all precautions here," he said.

Turning to a European Parliament resolution calling for tougher sanctions against Russia, Peskov urged not to exaggerate its significance.

"Sanctions, while causing us certain problems, turned out to be not so painful, moreover, they pushed us to build up our own potential," he said.

Russia to participate in summit in US

The spokesman announced that a Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the US on Nov. 15-17.

In a separate statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US State Department "deceives" when it promises to ensure Russia's participation at a "proper level" because its actions show the opposite – less than a week before the event, only a few members of the Russian delegation have been delivered visas.

"We confirm our readiness to ensure Russia's representation at the proper level during the summit in San Francisco, to facilitate the return of the forum to a mutually beneficial and respectful dialogue," she said.