MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. Russia's readiness for peace talks with Ukraine was beyond doubt, but it was wrecked by Kiev's reckless move in the Kursk Region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference following talks with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yassine Fall.

"We always remember that President [of Russia President Vladimir] Putin made the latest peace proposal in June, after all previous initiatives and agreements were ruined and sabotaged by the Kiev regime and its Western backers. Our readiness for talks was beyond anyone’s doubt, although, of course, after the reckless move in the Kursk Region, any discussion of this subject is no longer relevant," he said.

Ukrainian forces started a major attack on the Kursk Region on August 6. Missile attack warnings have been issued repeatedly in the region since then, and the government declared a federal-level emergency there. Residents are being evacuated from areas along the border to safer places. According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, a total of 197 temporary accommodation centers are operating in 28 Russian regions, housing more than 11,500 people, including more than 3,500 children.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost up to 7,000 servicemen and 74 tanks since the start of fighting in the Kursk area. The operation to destroy Ukrainian formations is ongoing.