Russia will continue to target sites used by Ukraine’s military, Lavrov says

WASHINGTON - Russia will continue to target sites used by Ukraine's military, Russia's foreign minister said in an interview broadcast on April 27, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia had already conducted 70 attacks.

Moscow's top diplomat, Mr Sergei Lavrov, claimed

a deadly Russian missile strike

on a residential building in Kyiv last week was not on an "absolutely civilian" target.

"We will continue to target the sites used by the military of Ukraine, by some mercenaries from foreign countries and by instructors whom the Europeans officially sent to help target Russian civilian sites," Mr Lavrov said on CBS' Face The Nation, in an interview that was taped on April 24, after the attack.

The strike, which killed at least 12 people, drew

a rare rebuke

of Russian President Vladimir Putin from US President Donald Trump on April 25 on social media, "Vladimir, STOP."

Mr Zelensky, who

met Mr Trump in Rome

on April 26 before Pope Francis' funeral, wrote on Telegram that his top military commander had reported that Russia had already conducted nearly 70 attacks on April 27.

He said the situation remained difficult.

"The situation at the front and the real activity of the Russian army prove that there is currently insufficient pressure on Russia from the world to end this war,” he wrote on April 26.

Mr Lavrov also said that Russia never received an offer to help operate Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

He also said Russia would be willing to store Iran's enriched nuclear material if both US and Iran believe that would be useful. REUTERS