Putin accuses Ukraine of meddling in Russian parliamentary vote
President Vladimir Putin claimed Ukraine was obstructing peace talks and interfering in Russia's parliamentary election, while reiterating Moscow's reliance on its nuclear triad and need to strengthen air defenses.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine was deliberately hindering negotiations aimed at ending the four-and-a-half-year war and accused Kyiv of interfering in Russia's parliamentary election. Speaking to the Military-Industrial Commission, he also reaffirmed Moscow's reliance on its nuclear triad and the need to improve anti-missile defenses.
"The Ukrainian leadership is in no hurry to hold elections, as you know, but they are also trying to interfere with us," Putin was quoted as saying, without providing evidence.
Putin added that Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets, including a recent attack in occupied Zaporizhzhia that killed a local election official, were intended to prevent peace talks. He claimed such actions showed Kyiv was not serious about negotiations.
The three-day parliamentary vote began on Friday, with the Kremlin positioning the result as proof of popular support for its war policies, despite reports that many anti-war candidates were barred from running. Ukrainian officials have dismissed the Russian vote as a "pseudo election" and argue that elections cannot be held while a state of emergency remains in effect.
In his remarks, Putin emphasized that Russia continues to depend on its land-, sea- and air-based nuclear forces while also seeking to upgrade its air-defence systems, noting Ukraine's growing drone capabilities and long-range strikes on Russian industrial sites.