Russia claimed Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions after holding what it called referendums in September – votes that were denounced by Kyiv and Western governments as illegal and coercive.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the region's status was "fixed" and that no changes were possible.In the Kremlin's first public comments since Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Russian forces would withdraw from Kherson city to the opposite side of the River Dnipro, Peskov said it was a decision taken by the defence ministry and he had "nothing to add."There have been no public attempts to reconvene peace talks between the two sides since early initiatives at a ceasefire in Istanbul during the first weeks of the conflict broke down without progress.Following the annexations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a decree on Oct. 4 formally declaring the prospect of any Ukrainian talks with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "impossible", but leaving the door open to talks with Russia."