Lavrov Biographical information and Comments regarding Georgia (2008) and Ukraine:

Sergey Lavrov has been the Russian Foreign Minister since 2004, prior to which he served a term as the Russian representative to the United Nations beginning in 1994. Mr. Lavrov was reportedly born to an Armenian father and Russian mother from Georgia, and has one daughter. Lavrov, born in 1950, during Stalin’s regime of the Soviet Union, came into politics during the Brezhnev era. He was the secretary of the Komsomol, which was the Communist Youth League in the Soviet Union. Lavrov graduated from Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1972 and began working in the Russian Foreign Ministry. Lavrov, also known to some as “Mr. No”, is reputed for his brash behavior and consistent countering of U.S. policies while in the United Nations. As Foreign Minister, he has clashed with many U.S. diplomats including Susan Rice and Hillary Clinton.

‘At the United Nations, “his two objectives were always the same: veto things for the greater glory of Russia and to take the Americans down whenever possible,” recalled John Negroponte, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who served alongside him on the Security Council.’ Susan B. Glasser, http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/04/29/minister-no/

After Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 following Russian-backed separatist movements, Lavrov claimed the move was to protect Russians in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Most analysts say that Russia used the invasion to promote a frozen conflict to keep Georgia from joining NATO as the country had publicly claimed was its goal. Russia is the only country to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In 2008, Lavrov also claimed that Russia would never invade Ukraine when Cheney claimed Russia was not a viable international partner and after Ukraine’s National Security Chief said he had evidence Russia was planning to intervene in Crimea in the future.

In 2014, Russia invaded Crimea while Putin and Lavrov both claimed that the “little green men” without identifying patches were not Russia special forces. In Madrid, Lavrov stated, “If they are the self-defence forces created by the inhabitants of Crimea, we have no authority over them. They do not receive our orders.” Later in 2015, Putin admitted that these men were Russian special forces who had taken over the Crimean Parliament and other governmental buildings. After an unconstitutional referendum was held that was widely seen as rigged and held with armed Russian military present, Putin declared that Russia would annex Crimea, sovereign Ukraine territory. The US and allies as well as the majority of the international community do not recognize the results of the referendum and consider the territory to be Ukrainian. In December of 2014, Lavrov stated that Russia had the right to place nuclear weapons in Crimea.

In February of 2015, European laughed and booed Lavrov at the Munich Security Conference when he accused the West of a coup in Ukraine and stated that Russia’s annexation of Crimea was an example of UN norms working well. He also issued a thinly veiled threat that Russia might invade the remainder of Ukraine if the U.S. gave Ukraine lethal aid.

Related Articles:

Sept. 5, 2008 (Re: Georgia)
Lavrov rejects Cheney’s attack on Russia
• STORY HIGHLIGHTS
• Russia rejects sharp criticism by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says conflict may have isolated Moscow
• Lavrov backs away from allegations U.S. personnel were involved in combat
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/05/georgia.lavrov.russia/index.html?_s=PM:WORLD

Ukrainian defence ministry says Russian forces have seized missile defence units in Crimea, March 5, 2014
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-05/russia/5301724

No Ukraine accord in US-Russia talks, March 2014 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26583697

EU Gives Russia a Deadline to Yield on Crimea or Face Sanctions, March 11, 2014 http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/eu-gives-russia-deadline-yield-crimea-or-face-sanctions-n50231

Russia says it has a right to put nuclear weapons in Crimea, December 15, 2004 http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-nuclear-crimea-20141215-story.html

Putin Reveals Secrets of Crimea Takeover http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31796226

Crimea: Russia’s Little Pawn, August 16, 2016 https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/crimea-russias-little-pawn

Shoigu, Lavrov Deny that Crimean Forces are Russian, March 5, 2014 https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/shoigu-lavrov-deny-that-crimean-forces-are-russian-32709

Europeans Laugh as Lavrov Talks Ukraine, February 7, 2015 https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-02-08/lavrov-s-comedy-routine-on-ukraine-isn-t-funny-to-europe