"The vast majority of countries — I guarantee you — realize our righteousness. Not everyone has the courage and simply just the strength to objectively talk about it frankly… I am convinced that truth will prevail," Lavrov told reporters.
He stressed that now, in the case of referendums in the DPR, the LPR, and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, a scenario is being implemented that relies on the free will of people.
"Any other approaches, the artificial escalation of confrontation, the artificial mobilization of anti-Russian forces, threats and blackmail — all this is ahistorical," the minister concluded.
The minister made the statement right after the Russian Senate ratified treaties on the admission of the four new regions to the country.
The Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, Kherson region and Zaporozhye region held referendums on joining the Russian Federation on September 23-27. The votes demonstrated overwhelming support for the cause, with high voter turnout despite the shelling from Ukrainian forces.