Russia and Ukraine were close to ceasefire talks until this happened...

Over two years after the war broke out, Ukraine and Russia were on the precipice of engaging in indirect ceasefire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month. The discussions, however, never went beyond the initial planning stage after Kyiv launched a surprise ground offence in Russia's western Kursk region, according to a report in the WashingtonPost, citing diplomats and officials familiar with the matter.

The Qataris were expected to serve as mediators with negotiations centring around both sides halting strikes on energy and power infrastructure.

Moscow hasbeen pounding Kyiv's power grid with a barrage of cruise missiles and drone strikes for more than a year, Meanwhile, Ukraine has returned the favour by destroying Russia's oil facilities with long-range drone attacks.

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However, the willingness to sit across the table and talk about a partial ceasefire signalled a change in strategy from Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, the diplomats stated.

But after the Kyiv offensive, Russian officials postponed their meeting with the Qatari officials. The publication said Moscow "didn't call off the talks" albeit asked to be given some time.

TheUkrainian presidential office said in a statement that the summit in Doha was postponed “due to the situation in the Middle East".

Watch |Ukraine's incursion into Russia: Day 11 | Ukraine says strengthening positions in Kursk

Ukraine'sKursk offensive

Ukraine agreeing to a partial ceasefire may have been a misdirection as an NBC report has claimed that Kyiv was planning an incursion-style attack on Russia for nearly a year.

Since the war broke out in February 2022, Kyiv launched its largest attack on the internationally recognised Russian territory of Kursk on August 6.

The attack, described as a "high stakes gamble" is meant to divert Russia's attention from other parts of the front line, especially Donbas where Moscow has been steadily making advances since the start of the year.

However, Moscow is of the view that Kyiv wants to capture the Kursk nuclear power plant.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)