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Russia has information about provocations in Ukraine, including in Mariupol — Lavrov

The Ukrainian troops try to use civilians as human shields, the Russian Foreign Minister underscored

MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. There are many reports about provocations being prepared in Ukraine, including in Mariupol, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview for the media Thursday.

"There is a lot of information as to which provocations are being prepared, including in Mariupol, and in other territories, where the Ukrainians now try to use civilians as human shields," Lavrov said, answering a US reporter’s question.

"Europe, the US do everything they can - Europe, mostly - to shut down any mass media, any sources, channels of information from Russia about what is going on in Ukraine, about how the special military operation unfolds, and about how [nationalist] battalions behave in regards to civilians. When they retreat, they simply plunder settlements," the Minister noted.

According to Lavrov, when Donetsk and Lugansk forces started pushing nationalist battalions from Donbass, "they took cars, took villages from the locals, and they generally behave like looters, like robbers."