Elin Jönsson: "He does not have much more to threaten with"

In an interview with Russian state media, Lavrov warns that Ukrainians risk provoking a third world war and that the threat of a nuclear war "should not be underestimated", reports the news agency AP.

According to SVT's foreign reporter in Ukraine, Elin Jönsson, Lavrov's twisted rhetoric can be seen as a last resort in order to put pressure on the West.

- It is obvious that Europe and the United States have a very clear message, that they want to support Ukraine and that they are winning this war.

Lavrov does not have much to gain now, more than harsh rhetoric.

There have been many requests from Ukraine to go in and introduce a flight ban and then they have come in from the west side and said that they can not do it because of the risk of a third world war.

This is what Lavrov plays hard on, she says in Morgonstudion.

It is likely that Putin is behind the statement

According to Elin Jönsson, it is likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the statement.

At the same time, she believes that there is a "major split in the political elite" in Russia.

- I think it is Putin who is behind this statement, but it is not certain that there is support for it in the military or the political elite in general, but this war is governed very politically and I would say that this word that comes directly from him .

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has commented on Lavrov's move on Twitter.

"Russia is losing its last hope of scaring the world away from supporting Ukraine.

This only means that Moscow feels that defeat is imminent.

That is why the world must double its support for Ukraine so that we can win and protect European and global security, "he wrote.