BY (AA)

Russia's foreign minister said on Thursday that his country will pursue the goals of its "military operation" even in case of achieving a peace agreement with Ukraine.

Speaking in a live interview with international TV channels in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov said the military infrastructure, threatening Russia, must be destroyed.

"Demilitarization -- in the sense of destroying the military infrastructure that threatens us -- will be brought to an end, even if we sign a peace agreement. It will necessarily have to include such a clause.

He said that another goal, "denazification -- the fight against the Nazi ideology of the Third Reich --" will be continued as well.

Lavrov called the laws signed by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the "Nazist" laws which, he said, include excluding Russians from the country's indigenous people and prohibiting the use of the Russian language in the country.

He added that special forces in Ukraine, comprising the "supporters of the Nazi ideology that include Azov, Pravy sector, and Aydar units" behave "as looters" by plundering the settlements and stealing cars from civilians.

Lavrov also said "neo-Nazis" do not let foreigners leave the country, and that a foreign citizen was killed in the city of Kharkiv, where there are no Russian troops.

The question of how to continue to live in Ukraine and who to choose to lead this country should be decided by the Ukrainian people themselves, or rather, all the people living in a multinational Ukraine.

"The real murderers are fighting on the side of the Kyiv regime," the minister blasted.

He then added that although Crimea is now "Russian," the Ukrainian language has a status of a state language on the peninsula, and no one is prohibited to use it.

He also said that if the protesters in 2014 waited for the general elections and did not overthrow then-President Viktor Yanukovych, Crimea would be Ukrainian today.

- West hatching plans of nuclear war

Lavrov said ideas of a nuclear war were first voiced by the Western politicians, citing NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who threatened to move nuclear weapons closer to the Russian borders, French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian, who reminded that France has nuclear weapons, and British Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who did not exclude a direct collision of Russia and NATO.

He added that Ukraine's President Zelenskyy expressed a desire to turn the country into a nuclear state as well.

"It is clear to everyone that World War III can only be nuclear. But I draw your attention that the nuclear war is swirling in the heads of the Western politicians, not Russians.

"I reassure you that we will not allow this provocation to force us out of balance. But if a real war is unleashed against us, those who are hatching such plans should keep it in mind (that World War III can only be nuclear)," he said.

Russia's military doctrine contains conditions of using nuclear weapons: in response to use of nuclear or arms of mass destruction against the country or its allies, in case of aggression with the use of conventional arms if it puts in doubt the country's existence, in case of use of ballistic missiles against Russia or its allies, and in case of an attack on critical state and military objects in the country, destruction of which will lead to the automatic launch of nuclear weapons.

Lavrov also added that Pentagon constructed two military biological labs in Ukraine, one in Kyiv and another in the city of Odessa, and now fears losing control of them.

He added that the labs were built as part of a larger project -- encircling Russia by a chain of biological laboratories located in the post-Soviet countries.

- Lavrov calls sanctions 'tax on independence'

Lavrov called sanctions "a tax on independence," adding that despite the international pressure Russia will not allow creating threats for its existence.

He then noted that the West attacks Russia not because it poses a threat to its security but to prevent Russia from pursuing an independent policy.

Many countries left Russia under enormous pressure from their governments, he added.

The West in its desire does not think about the interests of their own people, he noted, citing recent remarks from the US that the oil prices should not rise because Russia can profit from it.

"Not because petrol will be expensive at gas stations, and the American voter will pay an increased price and thereby experience a negative attitude towards the authorities, but because it will be beneficial to Russia.

"Their brains are sharpened only for one thing: to punish Russia in a maximum way," he stressed.

Sanctions will have a negative effect on Russia's economy, social sphere, but these problems will be tackled, he reassured.

- 'US subdued Europe just like Napoleon and Hitler,' turned Ukraine into anti-Russia

Lavrov argued that Russia defends its core interest in Ukraine while NATO has nothing to do there.

The minister explained NATO's motives by an attempt to return a sense to its existence, which was lost after the dissolution of the Soviet Union -- the alliance was created to counterbalance the Soviet military camp, and when it disappeared, NATO lost its sense.

He then noted that although NATO is proclaimed as a defensive organization, it continues growing while no one ever attacked it.

Turning Ukraine into anti-Russia and uniting NATO's allies to oppose Russia is part of a big geopolitical game, he said.

Lavrov also quoted one of the US politicians who promoted an approach of "Russia without Ukraine is not a superpower" and so "it is necessary to use Ukraine in every possible way to undermine Russian interests, Russian influence, and Russian culture, including the collapse of Orthodox Church."

He said the US plays a leading role in the West and subdued Europe to its will.

"Both Napoleon and Hitler set the task of subduing Europe. Now it has been subdued by the Americans," he added, saying it is the same approach that the US is practicing in the UN -- forcing countries by threats and blackmail to vote as they wish.

"They directly say to all countries without exception: 'There will be a vote, you are obliged to vote as we say.' They remind foreign politicians that they have accounts in the West, their children study at universities in Western countries."

Lavrov also said the US represents the picture of the world as a Hollywood film, divided into absolute good and absolute evil, and Washington plays a role of a good guy who, on its way to the goal, is allowed everything, including bad things.