Lavrov: Ukraine's Denial of Kremlin Drone Attack Does Not Deserve to Be Believed
08:06 GMT 05.05.2023 (Updated: 10:17 GMT 05.05.2023)
© Photo : Russian Foreign Ministry's press service
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Kiev's and Washington's denial that they were involved in the attack on the Kremlin does not mean they can be believed.
"If you believe that just because the United States and Ukraine have denied the allegations, we should jettison what we know, that's not how it works," Lavrov said during a press conference after a foreign ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
A number of foreign ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, including Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, condemned the drone attack against the Kremlin, Sergey Lavrov added.
"As for the terrorist attack on the Kremlin and the residence of the head of state, all our assessments were set out. Almost all of my counterparts with whom we spoke yesterday expressed their condemnation. In particular, the Pakistani foreign minister directly condemned this terrorist act and expressed hope for the speedy establishment of the truth and the identification of those responsible," Lavrov said.
Lavrov said that he had taken heed of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's assessments of the UAV attacks on Russian President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin residence, noting that they speak for themselves.
"As far as Washington's attitude goes, I pointed out a statement by Antony Blinken, who said that the US would not dictate to Ukraine the methods by which it defends its sovereignty. Well, I guess that says it all," Lavrov said at his briefing.
Russia will respond with action to the drone attack rather than speculate on whether it was a pretext for war, Lavrov said.
"I wouldn't think about the name or the terms here either. It was clearly a hostile act, it is quite clear that the Kiev terrorists could not have committed it behind their masters’ back. We will respond not by talking about whether it is a casus belli or not, but by concrete actions. We have a lot of patience - there is such a proverb 'Russians take long time to harness,' and so on," Lavrov said.
The negotiations to resolve the current crisis do not concern Ukraine alone, they will take place sooner or later, but not with Volodymyr Zelensky - he is a Western puppet - but with his masters, Lavrov stressed.
The minister added that the Chinese initiative in particular covers global issues - ensuring the indivisibility of security, refraining from actions that infringe on any other country, refraining from illegitimate sanctions. Ukraine is only mentioned in the title.
Moscow has never given up on talks concerning Ukraine despite the US pumping weapons into Kiev, but resolving the issue is not just about the line of contact, but is more global, according to Lavrov.
Western countries have been supplying military aid to Ukraine since the start of hostilities in February 2022. The aid evolved from artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023. For the past several months Ukraine has been pushing to be supplied with fighter jets. The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev.
