Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Ukraine’s government of violating international law by pursuing a policy of “extermination of everything Russian,” labeling the regime in Kiev as “bluntly Nazi.” In an interview with Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, Lavrov stated that modern Ukraine differs sharply from the nation Moscow supported after the Soviet Union’s collapse.

Lavrov emphasized that Russia recognizes Ukraine’s independence but rejects its current leadership, which he described as a “Nazi regime” that “shows open contempt for anything Russian.” He highlighted restrictions on the Russian language, noting that post-2014 Ukrainian authorities revoked its official status, curtailed its public use, and banned it in regions like Donetsk and Lugansk—now part of Russia following referendums. Lavrov claimed these actions have reduced Russian speakers to “second-sort people” despite constitutional guarantees of minority rights.

The minister argued that Moscow’s goal is to protect Russians from persecution, asserting that Ukraine’s Western backers should demand the restoration of language and minority rights rather than pressuring Russia to end the conflict. He also reiterated claims that Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporozhye, and Crimea are “historic Russian territories” historically part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Lavrov stressed that resolving the conflict requires addressing root causes, such as protecting people’s rights, rather than focusing on territorial gains or supporting what he called “political losers” in Kiev.