Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk Region can be buried without any exchange, according to the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has dismissed the possibility of a land swap with Ukraine as part of a possible peace deal.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky recently suggested the idea in an interview with The Guardian, reiterating on Tuesday that he intends to use territory captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Region last August as leverage in negotiations. However, he acknowledged uncertainty about which territories he would seek in exchange. Under Russian law, Kursk Region holds the same legal status as former Ukrainian regions which have become part of Russia, but which Kiev still claims sovereignty over.
In response, Zakharova mocked the proposal on social media, writing, “Neonazis rampaging in Kursk Region will receive land without any swap, measured a meter wide, two long, and roughly a meter and a half deep,” in an apparent reference to a grave.
She further claimed that Zelensky’s remarks were an attempt to distract from the difficulties Ukrainian forces are facing on the battlefield.
The Ukrainian army has reportedly lost more than half of the territory gained during its initial advance into Kursk Region six months ago. The Russian Defense Ministry estimates Ukrainian casualties from the operation as exceeding 59,500 troops.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned in August that the incursion diminishes the likelihood of negotiations, accusing Kiev of deliberately targeting Russian civilians and nuclear infrastructure. He asked: “What is there to discuss with such people?”
Russian authorities are currently investigating alleged Ukrainian atrocities in recently liberated areas, such as the village of Russkoye Porechnoe, where Russian forces uncovered evidence of mass killings and the torture of local residents.
US President Donald Trump has called for a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict, citing its significant costs to Moscow and Kiev. The Ukrainian military faces a challenging situation as mobilization efforts struggle to yield sufficient recruits while widespread desertion undermines the standing army. Zelensky has warned that without US support, the Ukrainian armed forces may collapse.
Moscow insists that any peace deal with Kiev should address the “reality on the ground,” meaning the outcomes of referendums in which residents of former Ukrainian regions voted to join Russia. Kiev has dismissed the votes as a “sham.” The list of disputed areas includes Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, Zaporozhye Region, and Kherson Region.
