“Assets are not exchanged for territories, the Motherland is not for sale,” Zakharova posted this Sunday on her account on Telegram.

The diplomat thus commented on a report by The Wall Street Journal that Germany advocates not touching Russian assets seized in the West in order to use them as a bargaining chip in a future peace negotiation and encourage Russia to return a part of the territories it occupied to Ukraine.

The Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhie, all Russian-speaking provinces, joined the Federation at the end of September 2022, after holding referendums on self-determination.

According to Zakharova, Russian assets “have to remain untouchable or there will be a harsh response to theft by the West.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported Sunday that its forces took control of the village of Novobajmutovka, located north of Donetsk, evidence of the advance on the front line.

The actions of the Central Troops Group also led to the defeat of the 142nd infantry, 24th mechanized and 68th fighter brigades of the Ukrainian army near Leninskoe, Keramik and Semyonovka, the ministry said on Telegram.

Russia has been carrying out a special military operation in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, the objectives of which, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, are to protect the population from “genocide by the current authorities in Kiev.

It is also aimed at tackling the national security risks posed by the advance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the east.

Last December, Putin stated that the operation will continue until Russia achieves denazification, demilitarization and neutrality in Ukraine.

mh/oda/gfa