MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Wednesday played down hopes of a breakthrough following peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates in Istanbul a day earlier.

“We cannot state that there was anything too promising or any breakthroughs,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” Peskov said.

He added that Moscow considered it “positive” that Kyiv had started outlining its demands in writing.

“We carefully avoid making statements on the matters” that are discussed at the talks because “we believe that negotiations should take place in silence”, he added.

Following talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that Moscow’s main negotiator described as “meaningful”, Russia said it would be significantly reducing its military activity near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv.

However, on Wednesday, Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces bombarded the northern city of Chernigiv despite Moscow’s earlier claims.