Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at a press conference looking back on the year 2023, attended by Russian and international media. On the conflict in Ukraine, Lavrov says that "those who refuse (to negotiate) must understand that the longer they wait, the harder it will be." He adds that "there is no hope that Russia will somehow be defeated." Lavrov also claims that the Russian offensive against Ukraine "has united our society like never before and contributed to the cleansing of people who do not feel they belong to Russian history and culture." Tens of thousands of Russians left the country in protest at the start of Moscow's offensive, with thousands more leaving after the Kremlin announced it would launch a partial mobilisation. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES