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'Bark from Moscow' — Kyiv hits back as Russian Foreign Ministry insults Zelensky

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'Bark from Moscow' — Kyiv hits back as Russian Foreign Ministry insults Zelensky
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 13, 2024. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry hit back at Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova after she called President Volodymyr Zelensky a "clown" ahead of expected peace talks in Turkey on May 15.

"Not the first time the Russian Foreign Ministry becomes a laughing stock," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on X in response to Zakharova's comments.

"It is also worth noting that the delegation in Turkey is not led by the Russian Foreign Ministry — their role is to bark from Moscow."

Upon arriving in Ankara earlier in the day, Zelensky said he would decide on his next steps regarding peace talks with Russia after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ukraine's president said that Kyiv is represented at the highest level, while describing the Russian delegation as "a sham."

Zakharova responded with insults aimed at Zelensky: "Who uses the word 'sham'? A clown, a loser, a person with no education at all."

As Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Kyiv's appeal to attend, Moscow’s delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

In contrast, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Chief Vasyl Malyuk, and General Staff Chief Andrii Hnatov are among those accompanying Zelensky in Turkey. In addition, Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined Zelensky for talks with Erdogan.

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Kateryna Denisova

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Kateryna Denisova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, covering Ukrainian domestic politics and social issues. She joined the newsroom in 2024 as a news editor following four years at the NV media outlet. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She was also a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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By infiltrating Ukrainian positions in small infantry groups, Russia has accumulated around 200 troops within Pokrovsk, the General Staff reported. These personnel are engaging in "intense" small arms and drone clashes with Ukrainian troops in the city.

While Ukraine also lacks Western-supplied weapons, soldiers and commanders say shortages of basics — cars, drones and people — make holding back Russia extremely difficult. Even as Kyiv seeks U.S. approval for Tomahawks, they say critical, rudimentary gear is the more pressing need.

Russia faces an increase in the arson and “spontaneous combustion” of electrical panels, railway relay cabinets, and other infrastructure helping Moscow wage its war against Ukraine over the past week, a source at Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

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