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Russia earned back its international dignity in last 20 years — Lavrov

The minister noted that, over these years, Russia managed to create an effective army that can defend the country’s interests as well as carry out deep economic reforms

VOLGOGRAD, August 30. /TASS/. Russia has reclaimed its independence and regained its lost dignity on the international arena in the past 20 years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

"I would like to reiterate that not everyone likes it when we achieve favorable conditions for our development on the global arena. Back in the 1990s, we were seen as an obedient country that opened up to the West and opened up unprecedentedly in many cases. It was all mistaken for weakness. And the sense that it is not fit for Russia to assume such a submissive third-rate place on the global scale did not come immediately," he said. "In the past 20 years, it seems to me that we regained independence and earned back our dignity. Without this dignity, nothing good will come in an ordinary human life, let alone the fact that you won’t achieve anything internationally."

The minister noted that, over these years, Russia managed to create an effective army that can defend the country’s interests as well as carry out deep economic reforms.