UNITED NATIONS, February 24. /TASS/. It has never been Russia’s goal to destroy Ukraine, allegations otherwise are lies, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Friday.

"It has been a hoary cliche in the recent week that if Russia stops combat operations, there will be no war and if Ukraine does it, there will be no Ukraine. Sounds lofty but is it an absolute lie," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. "Tell me where, when and from who you heard that the goal of our military operation is to destroy Ukraine, to de-Ukranize it? We have never declared such goals."