Russian forces resume advance in line with Ukraine operation plan after Kyiv's refusal to negotiate - Peskov

MOSCOW. Feb 26 (Interfax) - Russian forces resumed their advance into Ukraine as part of a special military operation on Saturday after Kyiv refused to enter into negotiations, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"As the Ukrainian side has actually refused to enter into negotiations, the main Russian forces resumed their advance today in the afternoon in line with the operation plan," Peskov told journalists.

The advance of Russian forces was suspended on Saturday under the commander-in-chief's orders, he said.

"Pending expected negotiations with the Ukrainian leadership yesterday in the afternoon, the commander-in-chief, the Russian president, issued an order to temporarily halt the advance of the main Russian forces," Peskov said, adding that fighting, including armed clashes with groups of Ukrainian nationalistic units, still continued at some locations.