Putin Calls Reports Of Russia Bombing Ukraine Cities 'Fake', Says Ready For Talks

Putin said reports about "the alleged ongoing air strikes of Kyiv and other large cities are gross propaganda fakes," the Kremlin said in a statement.

New Delhi: Amid reports of shelling and destruction by Russian forces in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied bombing Ukrainian cities. In a phone call with German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, Putin denied that Russian troops were bombing Ukrainian cities and dismissed such information as being fake, said Kremlin on Friday, reported AFP. 

Putin said reports about "the alleged ongoing air strikes of Kyiv and other large cities are gross propaganda fakes," the Kremlin said in a statement.

He further added that any dialogue on Ukraine would be possible only when Russia’s demands are met. 

Putin “confirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the Ukrainian side, as well as with everyone who wants peace in Ukraine. But under thecondition that all Russian demands are met," the Kremlin said.

Russia’s demands include the neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine, its “denazification”, recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and of the “sovereignty” of seperatist territories in eastern Ukraine. 

"Hope was expressed that during the planned third round of talks, the representatives of Kyiv will take a reasonable and constructive position," the Kremlin added.

After the first round talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations seemed to reach no consensus, the second round of talks is expected during the weekend, said one of the Kyiv’s negotiators. 

Meanwhile, on the ninth day of Russian invasion in Ukraine, Moscow launched an attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Power Plant. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy condemned the attack with strong words terming it as “nuclear terror.”