Russia will continue to target sites used by Ukraine’s military, Lavrov says

A Ukrainian tank passes by a burning car near the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Sumy region of Ukraine, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

WASHINGTON — Russia will continue to target sites used by Ukraine’s military, Russia’s foreign minister said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia had already conducted 70 attacks.

Moscow’s top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, said a deadly Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv last week was not on an “absolutely civilian” target.

“We will continue to target the sites used by the military of Ukraine, by some mercenaries from foreign countries and by instructors whom the Europeans officially sent to help target Russian civilian sites,” Lavrov said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” in an interview that was taped on Thursday after the attack.

The strike, which killed at least 12 people, drew a rare rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin from U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday on social media, “Vladimir, STOP.”

Zelenskyy, who met with Trump in Rome on Saturday before Pope Francis’ funeral, wrote on Telegram that his top military commander had reported that Russia had already conducted nearly 70 attacks on Sunday. He said the situation remained difficult.

“The situation at the front and the real activity of the Russian army prove that there is currently insufficient pressure on Russia from the world to end this war,” he wrote on Sunday.

Lavrov also said that Russia never received an offer to help operate Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

He also said Russia would be willing to store Iran’s enriched nuclear material if both United States and Iran believe that would be useful.

Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Don Durfee and Mark Porter.