Contrary to previous statements, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Russia wants to overthrow the Ukrainian government. "We are definitely helping the Ukrainian people to liberate themselves from the regime that is absolutely hostile to the people and history," Lavrov said in Cairo on Sunday. The Russian and Ukrainian people would henceforth live together.
In the past few days, the Russian leadership has publicly tightened its position on the Ukraine war. On Wednesday, Lavrov threatened to occupy other areas outside of the Donbass. In view of the western supply of arms and their longer range, it is necessary to further push the Kiev troops away from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow has recognized as independent.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russia of propaganda. "Russia uses a different argument every time. This time they say it's because of the military support," said the Green politician in an interview with Deutsche Welle published on Thursday.
The Kremlin's war aims are for Ukraine to cede the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to recognize Crimea, which Russia had already annexed in 2014, as Russian.
With his announcement that he wants to change the political leadership in Kyiv, Lavrov also contradicts his own statements from April. "We have no intention of changing the regime in Ukraine," the chief Russian diplomat said in an interview with India Today television at the time. It was up to the Ukrainians to decide under which leadership they wanted to live, Lavrov assured at the time.
