“The president made it absolutely clear that after an attack or even a raid in the Kursk region, all talks are impossible,” Lavrov told Russian state television on the sidelines of Vladimir Putin's visit to Azerbaijan on Monday.

Lavrov also said that Putin would soon make an “assessment of the situation.” Lavrov said that media reports about possible contacts between Russian and Ukrainian authorities with the help of Turkey and Qatar were nothing more than rumors.

Watch the video: Ideal for Ukraine

First time

Putin’s failure to comment on the crisis facing his military is nothing new. In the face of previous crises or military defeats, he has only spoken about them much later, and sometimes only after the crisis is over.

Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian invading forces for nearly two and a half years, launched a counteroffensive two weeks ago, advancing into the Kursk region in western Russia.

Article continues below adArticle continues below ad

This is the first time that the Ukrainian authorities have brought the war to Russian territory. Russia still occupies large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.

Before the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Putin demanded that the government in Kiev cede more Ukrainian territory as a precondition for peace talks.

Zelensky: He seized 92 villages

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday again asked his allies for permission to use long-range weapons to launch attacks deep inside Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for permission to use long-range weapons against Russian targets. He is pictured here as he receives one of Ukraine's first F-16s in early August. Photo: Jevrem Lukatsky/AP/NTB

– Zelensky said on Monday at a meeting with his country's ambassadors that Ukraine is prevented from stopping the Russian advance on the front by only one decision that we are waiting for from our partners – permission regarding long-range weapons.

At Monday's meeting, he also said Ukrainian forces now controlled 1,250 square kilometers and 92 villages in Russia's Kursk region.

Zelensky believes Ukraine should be able to use long-range weapons it has received from its allies to attack targets in Russia used to launch attacks against Ukraine, including airports, military bases and missile installations.