Lavrov threatens Kyiv with intensive strikes, Zakharova attacks Kallas as “ridiculous and false”
Russia-Ukraine war.. Lavrov threatens intensive strikes after downing 190 Ukrainian drones, Zakharova responds to Kallas: Your accusations against China are “baseless” and fall within “provocations”
In a new escalation in Russian rhetoric towards the war in Ukraine and Western policies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Russia will continue to carry out regular strikes against targets in Ukraine linked to the combat capability of Ukrainian forces, in response to Ukrainian attacks, while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s statements as “ridiculous and false.”
Lavrov: Regular strikes in response to Ukrainian attacks
Lavrov said Russia will carry out “intensive strikes on a regular basis” against what he described as targets on which the Ukrainian armed forces depend, adding that this comes in implementation of President Vladimir Putin’s directives after what he described as a “Ukrainian terrorist attack.”
Lavrov added: “This task was set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and the Russian armed forces are implementing it and will continue to implement it,” noting that “the right words have been said, but words are not enough,” and that what is required is “real steps.”
Moscow on Ukrainian drone attacks
Russian authorities said that Ukraine carried out drone attacks targeting areas inside Russia, including the capital Moscow, adding that about 190 drones were shot down within a single day.
They also pointed to attacks that hit a bus carrying children in the Bryansk region and an educational facility in Luhansk, which resulted in deaths and injuries, according to the Russian account.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russian forces will continue to target command centers and facilities linked to the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
Zakharova: Kaja Kallas’s statements are “ridiculous and false”
In a separate context, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s statements regarding China and military cooperation with Russia are “ridiculous and false.”
Zakharova added that these statements are “baseless” and fall, according to her description, within “media provocations.”
Moscow affirmed its rejection of these accusations, while Beijing said those claims are “baseless.”
Moscow-EU escalation
This comes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and the exchange of accusations between Russia and the West regarding military escalation, sanctions, and security policies.
Moscow considers that the West is using unilateral restrictions against it, while European Union countries affirm that their measures come within the framework of responding to Russian military operations in Ukraine.
The Russia-Ukraine war is entering its fifth year, with new technology playing a role in influencing the course of the war. In this context, media outlets and CNN reported that Ukrainian fighters are carrying out military operations using unmanned ground robots against Russian positions in eastern Ukraine, while managing the mission from an underground location tens of miles away from the battlefield.
According to the report, the operations involve fighters who had previously fought in urban battles in areas such as Avdiivka and Bakhmut, but they are now dealing with a different pattern of combat that relies on remote control and monitoring the course of battle via reconnaissance drones and dedicated broadcast channels.
Other reports pointed to field shifts related to the expanded use of Ukrainian drones, amid the ongoing war and sanctions affecting the Russian economy.
In this context, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in remarks that Ukrainian forces carried out long-range strikes targeting the Moscow oil refinery, areas in Rostov, and Ukrainian territories under Russian control, considering this a “justified response” to Russian attacks. Zelenskyy praised the accuracy and effectiveness of the Ukrainian strikes, noting that international partners had observed this, and called on Russia to “take the necessary steps in diplomacy” to end the war.
Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to… pic.twitter.com/NhFl4FlT9L
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 18, 2026
