Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Russian army is not using all possible means to avoid harming the territories that Moscow considers its own, along with the population. In the Russian public space, the destruction of Ukrainian cities is presented as a «limited use of force» and a deliberate avoidance of wider destruction. At the same time, the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure in Donbas is explained as «permissible consequences of hostilities».
Lavrov's position on the destruction of cities
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia allegedly does not use all means of warfare because it does not want to harm the territories it considers its own. According to Lavrov, these territories include the population living there. Following this logic, destruction of Ukrainian cities is justified by restrictions on the use of force.
Russian rhetoric about «conscious avoidance of harm»
In the Russian public discourse, the destruction of Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Vuhledar, Marinka, Kurakhove and Krasnohorivka is presented as the result of «limited use of force». The destruction of civilian infrastructure on these territories are explained as «permissible consequences of hostilities» rather than deliberate attacks on cities. At the same time, the rhetoric emphasises that no wider damage has been caused, allegedly due to the Russian military's deliberate avoidance of such actions.
Accusations against Ukraine and the EU
In addition to excuses for the destruction, Russian media regularly claim that Ukraine and the European Union are not interested in peaceful negotiations. In the recent period, this position has been accompanied by statements about the «more aggressive and brazen» behaviour of Kyiv and its Western partners. Such messages are actively spread by Russian propaganda in the media and official statements.
How Russian propaganda comments on the destruction of cities
Justifications for the massive destruction of Ukrainian cities, including Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Vuhledar, Maryinka, Kurakhove and Krasnohorivka, appear regularly in Russian statements. Similar comments can be found, for example, in social media posts. These materials emphasise that the destruction is an «acceptable consequence» rather than a systematic attack on the civilian population.
