Composition of Russian delegation to talks with Ukraine approved, Medinsky to lead it - Kremlin

MOSCOW. May 15 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order approving the composition of Russia's delegation to negotiations with Ukraine, a statement on the Kremlin website said.

The Russian delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, head of the Main Directorate of the Armed Forces General Staff Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

The group of experts to the talks with Ukraine consists of first deputy head of the General Staff Information Directorate Alexander Zorin, deputy head of the presidential department for state humanitarian policy Yelena Podobreyevskaya, director of the Foreign Ministry's 2nd CIS Department Alexei Polishchuk, and deputy head of the Defense Ministry's Main Department for International Military Cooperation Viktor Shevtsov.

On Saturday, Putin invited Kiev to resume direct negotiations without any preconditions.