Russia has laid out its objectives for what it describes as a special military operation in Ukraine. The stated aims center on securing the safety of four newly incorporated regions within the Russian Federation and shielding the country from perceived threats to its overall stability. In a television interview, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that protecting residents in the four recently added regions stands as the top priority, along with guarding them against what Moscow characterizes as persistent threats associated with Nazism as presented by the Kyiv regime. This framing is provided as part of Russia’s broader narrative about its security concerns and the responsibilities it claims to bear toward ethnic Russian and Russian-speaking communities in Ukraine. Lavrov emphasized that another major objective is to prevent threats to Russia arising on Ukrainian soil and described the situation as a form of ongoing aggression against the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine, arguing that Western actions have intensified this dynamic. He asserted that the United States and its allies have engaged in a long-running contest with Russia, tracing the timeline to political events in Ukraine in 2014 and through later negotiations and agreements connected to the Minsk framework, which he contends have not been fully honored. These remarks were reported by TASS in the broader context of Moscow’s assessment of Western involvement.
Lavrov also spoke to a wider geopolitical frame, indicating that Western leaders have remained at odds with Russian policy for years. He described the conflict as more than a regional dispute, casting it as part of a broader struggle between Russia and a Western bloc led by the United States, which he characterized as a nuclear power at odds with Russia. The dialogue reflected Moscow’s interpretation of recent events as a sustained confrontation rather than a temporary disagreement. The tone underscores a belief in a persistent strategic rivalry and a contest of influence across multiple domains including security, diplomacy, and energy politics.
Context around the so‑called new regions
The discussion extended to the sequence of events that followed the initial announcement of special operations on February 24, 2022. President Vladimir Putin framed those moves as measures to protect populations affected by what Moscow calls intimidation and, in its view, genocide by the Kyiv regime. Putin described the goals as disarming and demilitarizing Ukraine to address what he characterized as war crimes against civilians in Donbass. These statements have been cited by state outlets and various news organizations as part of Moscow’s justification for the action. The framing emphasizes protecting civilians and creating safer conditions in regions deemed at risk according to Russian authorities.
Following developments in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, referendums were conducted with results that Russian officials reported as supporting alignment with Russia. The formal incorporation of these territories into Russia was then announced, with Moscow describing this step as a legal consolidation of the referendums’ outcomes. This sequence is treated by Russian state media as a straightforward extension of the will of the residents in those areas, while international observers have offered varying interpretations of the legitimacy and conditions surrounding the referendums and their aftermath.
Public opinion on the operation has shown a measure of stability over time in some surveys, with many respondents recognizing the broader objective and supporting its perceived direction. A notable segment has expressed caution about potential paths to peace negotiations. The degree of support has fluctuated modestly in recent months as perceptions of the conflict and the region’s security outlook continue to evolve. Analysts note that public sentiment remains divided between the continuation of military actions and a desire to return to negotiations, a balance that has shown shifts since late summer. These observations appear in sociological reporting that tracks attitudes toward the conflict and Moscow’s strategy. The overall narrative portrays a population that weighs security concerns against the pursuit of a political settlement and broader regional stability.