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Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate and defend the inhabitants of the Donbass region, where people have been suffering from a blockade and regular attacks by the Kiev regime's forces since 2014.

Moscow Positive About African Initiative on Ukrainian Settlement, But It Needs to Be Studied

© Sputnik . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabankThe building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow at sunset.
The building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow at sunset. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 18.05.2023
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Earlier this week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on behalf of six African countries, offered Putin and Zelensky a peace initiative aimed at settling the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stating that the two leaders had agreed to receive the mission and the African heads of state, in both Moscow and Kiev.
Russia has a positive attitude towards the African initiative on Ukrainian settlement, earlier announced by the South Africa's president, but it is necessary to study it, says Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
"We need to see what ideas and proposals they [African countries] come up with. Of course, we need to understand what their thoughts are, because there are many who want to organize mediation efforts," Bogdanov said.
Commenting on the Ramaphosa's initiative, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that following the talks that were held between Putin and Ramaphosa earlier this week, it was decided that a number of countries will send a delegation to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
"You know that there was a telephone conversation between Putin and Ramaphosa, very constructive, very lengthy, and, indeed, Ramaphosa said that, of course, Africa, as the largest continent, also considers it necessary to express its voice in international efforts to resolve the well-known situation in Ukraine." "We have already said that we are ready to listen with great attention to any proposals that will contribute to the settlement of the situation in Ukraine," Peskov said.
On Tuesday, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a peace initiative on Ukraine, saying that both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky had agreed to receive a mission of leaders of African nations.
The South African president added that facilitators of the African initiative had informed Western countries of the plan, which had received "cautious support" there.
The peace mission would contribute to other efforts aimed to bring about a peaceful solution to the year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Ramaphosa stated, adding that the success of the mission would depend on the discussions that would be held in both Moscow and Kiev.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Gutteres and the office of the African Union had also been briefed on the African peace initiative on Ukraine, the president said.
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