Lavrov Denies Russia’s Intentions to Capture Ukrainian Territories, Claims Goal Was to Protect Russian-Speaking Citizens
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently made statements that attracted significant international attention.
He emphasized that Russia, the largest aggressor country, never aimed to seize Ukrainian territories such as Crimea or Donbas.
Instead, he claimed that Moscow’s primary goal was to defend Russian-speaking residents who had lived on these lands for centuries.
According to Lavrov, Russia’s actions were solely motivated by a desire to protect the rights and security of Russian nationals threatened by Ukrainian policies under President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership.He further mentioned that during his tenure, Ukraine adopted laws that allegedly restricted the rights of Russian-speaking citizens, although he did not provide specific examples or evidence.
Despite these claims, it is well-known that Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine in 2014, annexing Crimea and capturing parts of Donbas.
In 2022, the country initiated a full-scale invasion, attacking various regions of Ukraine with missiles and airstrikes, despite repeated assurances from Russian propagandists about a swift victory—initially claiming they would take Kyiv within three days.
Russian troops approached the Ukrainian capital dressed in parade uniforms, intending to march through Kyiv after a purported three-day conquest.However, Ukrainian armed forces heroically resisted, pushing out Russian troops from Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions, and continue to hold their positions along other strategic fronts.
Realizing that a quick victory was unlikely, Russia began propagating the idea of negotiations, claiming they wanted peace but secretly striving to retain control over occupied territories.
Meanwhile, Russia continued terror attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, particularly targeting energy grids, residential buildings, and essential services during nighttime strikes.
Despite deploying substantial amounts of weapons and military equipment, Russian forces suffered significant losses and have yet to achieve a major strategic victory, such as regaining control over the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, leaving Ukraine to defend its sovereignty amid ongoing conflict.