The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the war in Ukraine has moved into a "different paradigm," citing what it described as "inhumane acts of terror" by Kyiv's military against civilians.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov delivered the remarks to reporters when questioned about Russia's large overnight strikes on Ukrainian cities. Moscow has reported those strikes killed at least 17 people and wounded 100.
Peskov tied the broadened and intensified Russian campaign to an incident last month in Russian-controlled Luhansk. Moscow says that a Ukrainian drone strike on a student dorm in that region killed 21 people; Ukraine denies targeting the dorm and says it struck a drone command centre in the area.
"If the Kyiv regime is consciously committing such inhumane ... acts of terror against civilians, against children, then this is an entirely different paradigm," Peskov said.
In his comments, Peskov said Russia is systematically striking Ukrainian military targets in Kyiv and other cities. He also stated that the Ukraine peace process is currently on hold.
At the same time, Peskov said Moscow remains in contact with the United States. Washington has long sought to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow, according to the Kremlin spokesman's remarks.
Repeating the Kremlin's position, Peskov said: "We remain open to peace negotiations." He framed that position in the same terms the Kremlin has used previously - a formula that Kyiv contends equates to a demand for capitulation. Peskov said the war could end immediately if Kyiv agreed to withdraw its forces from four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims as its own, territories Moscow asserted control over in 2022 in what Ukraine described as a bloody land grab.
Reporting note: The statements above reflect the Kremlin's public remarks and the facts cited by its spokesman. Ukraine's denial regarding the dormitory strike and its claim that it targeted a drone command centre were also noted by the Kremlin spokesman in response to questions from reporters.