The exchange comes as Russia and Ukraine continue a war that has raged since early 2022, with diplomatic tensions increasingly spilling into Africa, where both countries have sought to strengthen political partnerships.
Lavrov made the remarks on Friday, July 10, 2026, during a working visit to Burundi, where he held talks with Burundian Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana before meeting Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who currently serves as Chairperson of the African Union.
During his visit, Lavrov accused Ukraine of supporting armed groups opposed to governments friendly to Moscow, including the M23 movement in eastern DRC.
'We are seeing instances of gross external interference in African affairs, including in the situation where the legitimate Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the support of Burundi, is overcoming an aggression carried out against it by the M23 movement supported by foreign representatives, including Ukrainians. We know it, and so do our friends.'
He further alleged: 'Basically, Ukrainians are trying to side with forces, which oppose legitimate governments in too many conflicts on the African continent, just to establish themselves as a 'political factor' in the region. And the main thing for them is to create trouble for countries, which are friendly to Russia.'
Lavrov departed Burundi later Friday after concluding his visit.
Ukraine rejects allegations
Responding to the remarks, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically denied the accusations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said: 'Lavrov's claims that Ukraine backs M23 in eastern DR Congo are Kremlin disinformation, unsupported by evidence. We officially refute and reject such accusations.'
He added: 'Ukraine doesn't meddle in African conflicts. Russia does – arming groups in breach of sanctions, fueling instability, and recruiting nationals of African states to fight in its war against Ukraine.'
The spokesperson continued: 'Moscow accusing others of what it does itself, nothing new.'
According to Tykhyi, Russia's accusations are intended to shift attention away from its own actions.
'Russia's objective is clear: to undermine US mediation efforts in the Great Lakes region and to distract from Russia's own destructive actions that obstruct the peace process.'
Wider regional context
The exchange comes against the backdrop of the long-running conflict in eastern DRC, where M23 says it is fighting to protect the rights and security of Congolese Tutsi communities, arguing that successive Congolese governments failed to implement previous peace agreements that guaranteed their protection and political inclusion as Congolese citizens.
The DRC government, however, has relied on a coalition of forces to fight the M23 rebel group. Besides the Congolese army (FARDC), the coalition has included Burundian troops deployed under bilateral security arrangements between Kinshasa and Gitega (the capital of Burundi), local militia groups known as Wazalendo, and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
The FDLR was founded by individuals linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Rwanda has repeatedly accused the group of continuing to threaten its security, while Congolese Tutsi communities have also accused the FDLR of carrying out attacks against them in eastern DRC.
The conflict has also drawn in private military contractors. Following M23's capture of Goma in early 2025, more than 200 foreign mercenaries, most of them Romanian nationals fighting alongside Congolese government forces, were captured by M23.
They were later transferred through Rwanda and repatriated to their home countries under arrangements involving regional and international actors.
Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/ukraine-rejects-lavrovs-claims-of-backing-m23/
