Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Italian broadcaster Mediaset on Sunday that Moscow will not set artificial timelines in order to complete its "special military operation," launched in Ukraine on February 24, by Victory Day on May 9.

During the interview, Lavrov reiterated that the operation is aimed at "ensuring the safety of civilians and making sure that there are no threats from Ukraine to civilians and Russia," adding that the operational pace depends on minimizing risks to the local population and Russian military personnel.