Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday Moscow was ready for talks if Ukraine’s military surrendered, as he insisted that invading forces were looking to free the country from “oppression”.

“Vladimir Putin took the decision to conduct a special military operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine so that, freed from oppression, Ukrainians themselves could freely determine their future”, - Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister said Moscow was ready for talks with Kyiv if the Ukrainian army surrenders.

“We are ready for negotiations at any moment, as soon as the armed forces of Ukraine respond to our call and lay down their arms. The aim of Putin’s operation was openly declared: demilitarisation and de-Nazification. Nobody intends to occupy Ukraine”, - said Lavrov.

He denied Ukrainian claims that Russian forces had hit civilian infrastructure, despite widespread evidence of residential areas being damaged.