‘Stalingrad, too, was our territory’: Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov explains why Russia is shelling ‘Russian city’ Kherson

Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has compared Kherson to Stalingrad (the name of Volgograd during WWII — translator’s note), while answering a question from AP’s journalist, who had asked him why Russia was shelling Kherson if it considers the city “its own”. The video from the press conference on the problems of European security was posted by Telegram channel Ostorozhno Novosti.

“Well, Stalingrad, too, was our territory. And we fought Germans there, and fought them so hard that they ran away from there,” Lavrov replied to the question.

The minister claimed that the “military operation” in Ukraine is being conducted by Russia in a way “to minimise any negative consequences for civilian population and civilian infrastructure”. 

Lavrov added that Moscow is not requesting negotiations with Kyiv but it is ready to hear other countries out. “If someone is interested in [coming to] a negotiated solution, we’re ready to hear them out.”

Ukraine’s Armed Forces took back control of the Russia-occupied city of Kherson on 11 November. The next day, the regional military administration, Ukraine’s Security Service, and police resumed work in the city. 

Since then, Russia has shelled the city several times, despite the claims that the city was “Russian”. Last week, at least seven people were killed in the attacks on Kherson carried out by Russian troops.