The Kremlin is fixating on recent train derailments in Russia in order to further long-standing Kremlin narratives claiming that Ukraine is an illegitimate negotiating partner that is uninterested in peace, likely to distract the broader information space from recent Kremlin officials’ statements about Russia’s own disinterest in a negotiated settlement. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with members of the Russian government on June 4 and discussed the May 31 collapse of two railway bridges in Kursk and Bryansk oblasts.[1] The meeting included a staged statement from a children’s doctor who promoted the Kremlin’s longstanding justifications for its initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and full-scale invasion in 2022. Russian Investigative Committee Head Alexander Bastrykin claimed during the meeting that Ukrainian special services “without a doubt” conducted an operation to down railway bridges in Kursk and Bryansk oblasts on May 31, but did not present concrete evidence to link the collapsed bridges to Ukraine. Putin claimed that the train derailments confirm that the “already illegitimate” Ukrainian government that previously “seized power” is “gradually degenerating into a terrorist organization.” Putin questioned if Russia can negotiate with “terrorists” and questioned why Russia should agree to Ukraine’s proposed 30-day or longer ceasefires, claiming that Ukraine will use the ceasefires to continue to receive Western weapons provisions, mobilize military personnel, and prepare “other terrorist acts.” Putin claimed that the Ukrainian government “does not need peace at all” and values power over peace. Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov stated that Putin later emphasized Ukraine’s alleged “terrorism” during a phone call on June 4 with US President Donald Trump.[2] Ushakov repeated Putin’s claim that Ukraine has “degenerated into a terrorist organization.”
Kremlin officials have long alleged that the current Ukrainian government is “illegitimate,” and Putin previously questioned on March 27 how Russia can negotiate with Ukraine as “neo-Nazi formations” are allegedly ruling the country.[3] Putin has also repeatedly used questions about Ukrainian force generation and Western weapons deliveries to reject Ukraine’s previous ceasefire proposals.[4] Putin’s June 4 claims that the Ukrainian government is a “terrorist organization” with which Russia cannot negotiate, and which will exploit any longer-term ceasefire, is the latest iteration of this Kremlin effort to justify delaying the negotiation process and prolonging the war by attacking Ukraine’s sovereignty as a legitimate negotiating partner. The Kremlin is likely link its messaging surrounding the train derailments and Ukraine’s alleged perpetuation of “terrorism” in order to distract from Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev’s claim on June 3 that Russia needs the negotiations in Istanbul to result in Russia’s “swift victory and the complete destruction” of the Ukrainian government and not a “compromise[d] peace on someone else’s delusional terms.”[5]
Putin also used his June 4 phone call with Trump to further falsely portray Ukraine as an illegitimate negotiating partner that is uninterested in peace. Ushakov stated that Putin talked with Trump about the May 31 train derailments in Russia, the June 1 Ukrainian strikes against Russian military air bases, and the June 2 Ukrainian-Russian negotiations in Istanbul.[6] Putin alleged to Trump that Ukraine was responsible for the train derailments. Ushakov claimed that Russia “did not succumb” and attended the Istanbul negotiations despite Ukraine’s “provocations.” Putin’s statements to Trump are also likely aimed at distracting from Russia’s own disinterest in negotiations and continued preparations for a prolonged war effort so as to avoid possible future US sanctions by painting Ukraine as a bad actor.[7]
- The Kremlin is fixating on recent train derailments in Russia in order to further long-standing Kremlin narratives claiming that Ukraine is an illegitimate negotiating partner that is uninterested in peace, likely to distract the broader information space from recent Kremlin officials’ statements about Russia’s own disinterest in a negotiated settlement.
- Putin also used his June 4 phone call with Trump to further falsely portray Ukraine as an illegitimate negotiating partner that is uninterested in peace.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to express Ukraine’s willingness to negotiate with Russia to establish a just and lasting peace.
- Ukrainian and Western officials and open-source analysts continue to clarify the battlefield damage resulting from Ukraine’s “Operation Spider’s Web” long-range drone strike series against Russian air bases on June 1.
- Ukrainian special services reportedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to direct drones during Operation Spider’s Web.
- Ukraine’s Western allies continue to provide military aid to Ukraine.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk. Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Toretsk.