You're reading: NBC News: Russia says that ‘final hope’ of peace ended by deadly Ukraine offensive

 Ukraine launched a military offensive on May 2 against pro-Russian forces in the country's east, leading to fighting in which two military helicopters were shot down, killing two people. Russia quickly criticized the action. Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the offensive “punitive” and said it effectively destroyed the “final hope” of a peace accord reached in Geneva last month between the U.S., Russia, Europe and Ukraine, Interfax reported.

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