Kremlin denies that it asked China for military aid to use in Ukraine offensive

MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denies media reports alleging that Russia asked China for military assistance to help advance its offensive in Ukraine.

“No, Russia has its own potential to continue the operation, which, as we have said, is unfolding in accordance with the plan and will be completed on time and in full,” Peskov tells his daily conference call with reporters.

Peskov also stresses that the operation in Ukraine was going as planned and that the Russian military was ensuring “the maximum security of the civilian population.”

He says that at the “beginning of the operation” Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the military to refrain from “the immediate storming” of large cities including Kyiv because “armed nationalist formations set up firing points, place heavy military equipment directly in residential areas, and fighting in densely populated areas will inevitably lead to multiple casualties among civilians.”

He adds that “at the same time, the Defense Ministry, while ensuring the maximum security of the civilian population, does not rule out the possibility of taking full control of large settlements that are now practically surrounded, expect for areas used for humanitarian evacuation.”