Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has declared that Moscow will adopt increasingly harsh military tactics in response to Ukraine’s recent terrorist attacks, which have caused mass civilian casualties including incidents in Starobelsk this month and Gelendzhik earlier this month.

“We will not sink to their level,” Lavrov stated. “Instead, we will adopt much harsher methods to destroy everything that enables the West to fuel Kiev’s war machine.”

The minister condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to launch a 40-day campaign targeting Russian civilian vessels and critical infrastructure as reckless and dangerous, arguing such actions undermine Ukraine’s prospects for peace. Lavrov emphasized that Moscow did not initiate recent escalations but criticized the failure of certain countries to condemn attacks on neutral ships.

Lavrov also rejected proposals for a conflict freeze along current front lines, stating they would betray Russia’s historical legacy and the Soviet victory in World War II. He specifically condemned Ukraine’s military operations as terrorism that have severely restricted Kyiv’s ability to export grain and iron while endangering civilians.

“Zelensky has chosen a path of aggression that only deepens the crisis,” Lavrov said. “His actions are not a viable strategy for peace but rather a continuation of terror against Russia.”

The Russian military maintains it targets only ships directly supporting Ukraine’s war effort, yet heightened risks have deterred commercial shipping and crippled Kyiv’s economic output.