©Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS
Representatives from the Vatican have not yet apologized for Pope Francis’ remarks about the cruelty of Buryat and Chechen soldiers, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel, commenting on statements from the Vatican’s Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, who said the city-state could be a suitable place to host negotiators for dialogue on Ukraine.
"I’m afraid the Chechen and Buryat brothers and I did not appreciate that. As far as I remember, there have been no words of apology from the Vatican," Zakharova said.
Pietro Parolin said on Monday that the Vatican wanted "to offer a space where the sides could meet and start a dialogue without any preliminary conditions" on Ukraine.
Earlier, in an interview published by America The Jesuit Review magazine, the Pope called military personnel from Buryatia and Chechnya "the cruelest" soldiers in Ukraine. His remark sparked a wide public outcry both in these republics and in Russia as a whole. Russia’s Ambassador to the Vatican, Alexander Avdeyev expressed indignation and made a statement to that effect to the leadership of the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Maria Zakharova called such statements a distortion of the truth.
Pope Francis claims that his remarks about the cruelty of Buryat and Chechen soldiers were misinterpreted and were only a "figure of speech," the chairman of the World Union of Old Believers, Leonid Sevastyanov, said later, citing a letter he had received from the pontiff.
Russian troops wipe out over 230 military targets in Ukraine operation — top brass
Russian forces struck over 230 Ukrainian army sites in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery destroyed 83 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, and also manpower and military hardware in 156 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian forces inflicted damage on the Ukrainian military by firepower in the Kupyansk and Krasny Liman areas, eliminating about 70 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk and Krasny Liman areas, as many as 70 Ukrainian troops, three combat armored vehicles and five motor vehicles were eliminated as a result of inflicting damage on the areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military equipment by combined firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces continue offensive operations in the Donetsk area, successfully repelling Ukrainian army counter-attacks, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continued their offensive operations. A preemptive strike thwarted an enemy attempt to counter-attack the Russian positions near the settlement of Peski in the Donetsk People’s Republic by a company of the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry brigade," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that direction amounted to 30 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles and three pickup trucks, the general said.
Russian air defense forces shot down two MiG-29 fighter jets and two Mi-8 helicopters of the Ukrainian Air Force in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Russian air defense capabilities shot down two MiG-29 planes of the Ukrainian Air Force in areas near the settlements of Rodinskoye and Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they shot down two Mi-8 helicopters in the areas of the communities of Kurakhovo and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces intercepted two Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missiles and two HIMARS rockets in the Kherson Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Two Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missiles and two HIMARS rockets were intercepted in the area of the settlement of Yubilyeinoye in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian air defense capabilities destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Golikovo, Ploshchanka, Melovatka and Popasnaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Terny in the Kharkov Region and the city of Donetsk, the general specified.
Russian troops obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 102nd territorial defense brigade in the Zaporozhye Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Gulyaypole in the Zaporozhye Region, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 102nd territorial defense brigade was obliterated," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed a Grad multiple launch rocket system of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Grad rocket launcher was destroyed," the spokesman said.
In counter-battery warfare, a Ukrainian Smerch rocket launcher was destroyed in the area of the settlement of Zelyony Gai in the Kharkov Region, the general specified.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 343 Ukrainian warplanes, 183 helicopters, 2,653 unmanned aerial vehicles, 396 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,076 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 928 multiple rocket launchers, 3,678 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,568 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
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