India, May 15 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to skip the first direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, with the Kremlin announcing the names of officials who will be part of its delegation.

The delegation would be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and consist of deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin, deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin, and Igor Kostyukov, who is the head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Additionally, Putin has also designated a group of experts to support the talks, including the deputy head of the defence ministry's international military cooperation directorate.

The peace talks with Ukraine will resume in Turkey's Istanbul on Thursday, confirmed K...