‘They’re Starting to Moan’: Lavrov Threatens ‘Harsher’ Strikes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has rejected a ceasefire along the current front line and threatened to make Moscow’s strikes against Ukraine “harsher,” saying Russia would target what it claims is supporting Kyiv’s military machine.Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with the Russian state-run propaganda outlet Vesti on Friday, Aug. 14.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“We are already doing this, and they are already starting to moan,” Lavrov said, referring to Russia’s attacks. He added that calls for Moscow to stop would not change its approach.Lavrov rejects ceasefire along front lineLavrov said Russia would not accept a halt to fighting along the current line of contact, arguing that such an arrangement would undermine what he described as the legacy of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.“For Russia, stopping along the line of contact is unacceptable,” Lavrov said, according to Vesti.He argued that Moscow would only consider an end to the fighting as part of what he called a “long-term, reliable and sustainable settlement.”The remarks amount to a rejection of a simple ceasefire that would freeze the current battlefield situation.Lavrov also threatened to intensify Russian attacks, claiming Moscow would not use what he called “terrorist methods” but would take tougher measures against Ukraine.“Russia will not stoop to Zelensky’s terrorist methods, but will make its approaches harsher to destroy everything that feeds Kyiv’s military machine from the West,” Lavrov said. Other Topics of Interest Mobilisation Rumours: Kremlin Under Pressure? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled on the ground – and the war is taking an ever bigger toll on the Russian economy. He then claimed that Russia was already pursuing this approach and that its effects were being felt in Ukraine and among its Western supporters.“We are already doing this, and they are already starting to moan,” Lavrov said.The Russian minister did not provide specific details on what additional targets Moscow could strike.His comments come as Ukraine continues to face Russian missile and drone attacks against its cities and critical infrastructure, while Kyiv and its Western partners discuss possible diplomatic efforts to end the war. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.