Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, made the preposterous claim during his visit to New Delhi on Friday that what has unfolded in Ukraine since February 24 is not a war!
'You called it a war which is not true. It is a special operation, military infrastructure is being targeted. The aim is to deprive the Kyiv regime from building the capacity to present any threat to Russia,' Lavorov told the media in the capital.
Please click on the images for glimpses of destroyed Russian tanks, helicopter, weapons in Ukraine.
IMAGE: The remains of a downed Russian helicopter in Malaya Rohan. A Ukrainian commander said last Friday that his forces had retaken Malaya Rohan, although efforts to root out Russian troops are reported to have continued over the weekend. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
IMAGE: A gas mask is seen on the ground next to a destroyed Russian tank in Malaya Rohan. The area around Kharkiv has been one of the most heavily bombarded during Russia's war in Ukraine. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
IMAGE: A destroyed Russian tank in Malaya Rohan. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
IMAGE: A Ukrainian soldier, left, guards a person who, according to the Ukrainians, is a Russian soldier who surrendered in the town of Irpin in the Kyiv region. Photograph: Oleksandr Ratushniak/Reuters
IMAGE: Damage after shelling is seen in the Velika Danylivka neighborhood of Kharkiv. Photograph: Oleksandr Lapshyn/Reuters
IMAGE: A burning gas pipeline hit during shelling from Russian positions in a neighbourhood in northern Kharkiv. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters
IMAGE: A Ukrainian policeman walks past a destroyed Russian armoured car in Irpin. Photograph: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
IMAGE: Graves are seen next to an apartment building in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
IMAGE: A Ukrainian soldier inspects a destroyed Russian BTR-82 armoured personal carrier in a village near the frontline in the Kyiv region. Photograph: Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
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