Thread by @GabrielCSGavin

According to Kommersant, Lavrov asked Liz Truss if the UK accepts Voronezh & Rostov as part of Russia.

“We will never recognise Russian sovereignty over these regions,” she apparently replied.

The British ambassador is said to have gently corrected her
kommersant.ru/doc/5207486?fr…

Worth caveating that Kommersant, which is one of Russia's best and most reputable broadsheets, cites anonymous foreign ministry sources here. The British embassy has apparently not commented.

For anyone unfamiliar with the geography of southern Russia, this would be a little bit like denying British sovereignty over Norwich, if Norwich had better weather and more of an association with criminal gangs (in the case of Rostov).

Also, the fact that this report is by the excellent @ElenaChernenko means it’s certain to be the Russian side’s account of the meeting

To be *entirely* fair to Liz Truss, Russia is the world’s largest country and this is one of those things that sounds bad to the 1% of the British population who know anything about it.

I’d be equally flummoxed about the geography of, say, Canada

That said, despite how proud it would make my mum, I’m not the Foreign Secretary

Also this

https://twitter.com/idvck/status/1491790909515571209

The UK embassy has issued a statement that appears to corroborate the Russian side’s version of Truss’ Voronezh confusion

"During the meeting it seemed to me that Minister Lavrov was talking about part of Ukraine. I made it clear that these regions are part of sovereign Russia."

There is a viral video that appears to show Truss talking over her translator and being told to be patient by Lavrov.

Appears this is a fake, doctored version of the official feed. The real version shows Lavrov saying he doesn't need a translator