Gaganauts of Geopolitics

SIMFEROPOL, March 11. /TASS/.

State Duma deputy from Crimea and member of the Security Committee, Mikhail Sheremet, told TASS that "Russia is not interested in continuing the conflict in Ukraine and will not allow itself to be confused."

"Russia is not interested in prolonging the bloody conflict provoked by the West, but it will also not allow itself to be fooled. We are analyzing the events and are fully aware that the Ukrainian side, mere hours before discussions of peace initiatives began, carried out the largest drone attack on Russian civilian cities, endangering and taking the lives of our citizens. This massive terrorist air assault, along with the negotiations themselves, appear to be parts of one chain of attempts to blackmail and intimidate our country," Sheremet said.

The deputy explained that this is precisely why Russia harbors no illusions about the recent negotiations between representatives of Ukraine and the U.S., viewing them as a complex and prolonged process that should be aimed at achieving sustainable peace, rather than short-term truce in the interests of one side.

Sheremet noted that Russia has never allowed such terrorist outbursts to go unpunished—not only against itself, but also against its allies. Blackmail and intimidation are utterly unacceptable and pointless, since "Russia is not a weather vane and has always been consistent in its decisions and actions," the deputy added.