Ukraine’s armed provocation on the Russian border aims to bolster Kyiv’s position in future talks, but talks with a government that attacks civilians make no sense, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

He made the statement when opening a meeting about the situation on the Russian border, Tass reported. 

"It is now clear why the Kyiv regime refused our proposals to return to the plan for peaceful settlement," Putin said. "The enemy, with the help of its Western masters, is doing their bidding, and the West is waging war against us using Ukrainians to improve its negotiating position in the future."

"But what kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately strike civilians, civilian infrastructure or try to create threats to nuclear power facilities," the president went on to say. "What can we even talk about with them?"