Russia is already spreading lies about Istanbul: it started from the moment the negotiations started

The Russians are spreading lies in the media about the "beginning of talks in Turkey" at 10:00 Moscow time. The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, denied this.

This time for the start of the negotiations was reported by Russian propaganda resources, citing a "source".

Kovalenko emphasized that this is not true, such a time was not planned.

"It is possible that the Russians simply want to manipulate the topic of negotiations. Because their propagandists are already writing that 'negotiations are needed by everyone except Ukraine.' This is what they are counting on," the head of the Central People's Committee said.

He added that the movement towards peace is not only needed by Russia, which is in every way avoiding a 30-day ceasefire and "normal dialogue" and spreading lies.

Russian propagandists from TASS reported at 08:16, citing a source, that the Russian delegation had already arrived in Istanbul.

Also, Russian resources, citing the office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, are spreading his schedule: at around 1:00 PM, he is scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

• On the evening of May 14, Putin approved the composition of the Russian delegation for negotiations on the Russian-Ukrainian war in Turkey. He himself will not go to Istanbul.
• It later became known that Trump would also not travel to Turkey to participate in the negotiations.
• On May 15, it became known that Zelensky was ready to abandon negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, but American and European officials convinced him to go.