OUR Russia is fighting today a battle similar to the one against Napoleon in the 19th century and Adolf Hitler in the 20th century, the Russian Foreign Minister said today Sergei Lavrovstressing at the same time that Western attempts to isolate his country had failed miserably.

“Calls for the dismemberment of our Motherland are getting louder,” Lavrov said today in the Russian capital at an event for diplomats at the Russian Foreign Ministry, returning from a week-long tour of African countries.

The Russian foreign minister did not say where the calls were coming from, although since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine almost a year ago, Moscow has often been portrayed as being embroiled in a wider conflict with the US, EU and NATO.

“Those who are trying to control the entire international agenda, world economic relations and all international politics have decided to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia,” the Russian Foreign Minister stressed.

“They decided to draw on the sad experience of Napoleon and Hitler, openly proclaiming the goal of destroying Russia or weakening it as much as possible.”

“The plans of the West failed”

Moscow is also seen as a victim of EU and US sanctions following the invasion, arguing that Western arms sales to Ukraine are evidence of intent to destroy Russia.

In turn, the West and Kyiv emphasize that sanctions and weapons are designed to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, Lavrov said that Western attempts to “isolate” his country have failed miserably, and Moscow is strengthening relations with countries in Africa, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region and other regions.

“Today we can confirm that the West’s plans to isolate Russia around us with a cordon have failed,” he said.

“Despite the anti-Russian orgy organized by Washington, London and Brussels, we are strengthening good neighborly relations in the broadest sense of this idea with the international majority,” he said.

The veteran Foreign Minister’s recent trip included countries such as Mali, Mauritania and Sudan, as well as Iraq. He also recently visited South Africa, Eswatini, Angola and Eritrea.

^{Source: APE-MEB, dpa, Reuters.}