Russian goal is to oust Ukraine president: Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov

Russia appears to have reversed itself after the country’s top diplomat said Moscow’s overarching goal is to topple the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian artillery barrages and air strikes continue to pummel cities across Ukraine.

The remark from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov comes amid Ukraine's efforts to resume grain exports from its Black Sea ports, something that would help ease global food shortages, under a new deal tested by a Russian strike on Odesa over the weekend.

Speaking to envoys at an Arab League summit in Cairo late Sunday, Lavrov said Moscow is determined to help Ukrainians “liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime.” Lavrov accused Kiev and “its Western allies" of spouting propaganda intended to ensure that Ukraine “becomes the eternal enemy of Russia.” “Russian and Ukrainian people would continue to live together, we will certainly help Ukrainian people to get rid of the regime, which is absolutely anti-people and anti-historical,” he said. 

Lavrov’s remarks contrasted sharply with the Kremlin’s line early in the war, when Russian officials repeatedly emphasised that they weren’t seeking to overthrow Zelenskyy's government.

Lavrov argued that Russia was ready to negotiate a deal to end hostilities in March when Kyiv changed tack and declared its intention to rout Russia on the battlefield, adding that the West has encouraged Ukraine to keep fighting.

Gazprom cutting gas Nord Stream to 20% of capacity

Russia’s Gazprom said Monday that it would further reduce natural gas flows through a major pipeline to Europe to 20 per cent of capacity, citing repairs of equipment.

The Russian state-owned company tweeted that it would reduce “the daily throughput” of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany to 33 million cubic meters as of Wednesday. The head of Germany's network regulator confirmed the reduction.

“The halving of the nomination of NordStream1 was announced for the day after tomorrow,” tweeted Klaus Mueller.

It comes after Gazprom raised questions about the return of a part that has been at the center of tensions over natural gas deliveries.