Russia and Ukraine to begin peace talks at 3.30 pm: Report

Kyiv, Feb 28: Ukraine and Russia set to meet at Belarus -- near the Chernobyl exclusion zone at 3.30 pm today.

Ahead of the meeting, the Russian military claimed on Monday that it has gained control over Ukrainian airspace.

"Russian aviation has gained air supremacy over the entire territory of Ukraine," Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman, said in a statement as per CNN.

Ukrainian officials initially rejected the move, saying any talks should take place elsewhere than Belarus, where Russia placed a large contingent of troops. Belarus was one of the places from where Russian troops entered Ukraine.

Until Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine.

Putin hasn't disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of the country's coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east.