Russian Foreign Minister Warns Indian Journalist For Using Phone: ‘They Will Take Out Guns’

A tense exchange involving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his India visit for the BRICS Summit has gone viral online after the senior diplomat appeared to warn a journalist during a media interaction in New Delhi. The moment unfolded after repeated interruptions allegedly caused by a journalist speaking on the phone while Sergey Lavrov was answering questions during the briefing. The Russian minister initially tried to handle the situation calmly, but later delivered a sharper ‘take out the gun’ warning that quickly spread across social media platforms. The viral incident happened at a time when Sergey Lavrov was also holding several key diplomatic meetings with Indian leaders on bilateral ties, BRICS cooperation and ongoing international conflicts including Ukraine and West Asia.

Repeated interruption during briefing triggers sharp response from Russian minister

During the media interaction, Sergey Lavrov was visibly interrupted multiple times by sounds coming from a journalist’s phone. The repeated disturbance appeared to irritate the Russian Foreign Minister, who paused the briefing and asked security personnel to step in and control the situation.

“Can you just leave us? It’s either you yourself or your phone,” Lavrov said during the exchange before attempting to continue the media briefing. However, moments later, the interruption reportedly continued again, leading Sergey Lavrov to respond in a much stronger tone in front of journalists and officials present at the venue.

Viral ‘take out the gun’ remark sparks online reactions during India visit

The moment that grabbed the most attention came when Sergey Lavrov appeared to jokingly warn the journalist while speaking to security officials. His remark quickly went viral online due to its unusual phrasing and serious tone. “Can you leave us? I am not joking. If you don’t surrender your phone, they will take out the gun,” he said.

The clip rapidly circulated across social media, with many users debating whether the comment was sarcastic, humorous or a genuine expression of frustration during the high-level diplomatic interaction. Despite the tense exchange, the briefing later continued as scheduled.

High-level meetings with PM Modi and Jaishankar held alongside BRICS Summit

Apart from the viral media moment, Sergey Lavrov’s visit to India was focused on important diplomatic discussions linked to the BRICS Summit and India-Russia relations. Sergey Lavrov met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and discussed bilateral cooperation along with major geopolitical developments.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sergey Lavrov briefed PM Modi on developments in India-Russia cooperation since PM Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit held in December 2025. In a post shared on X, PM Modi said he appreciated the update provided by Sergey Lavrov regarding progress in the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” between India and Russia.

Ukraine, West Asia and BRICS cooperation dominate diplomatic discussions

The discussions between the two sides also focused heavily on global conflicts and regional tensions. During the meeting, PM Modi reiterated India’s longstanding stand in favour of peaceful resolution of conflicts, including the situations in Ukraine and West Asia.

Before meeting PM Modi, Sergey Lavrov also held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed regional developments, BRICS cooperation and expanding ties between New Delhi and Moscow across multiple sectors.

Speaking after the meeting, Jaishankar said the India-Russia partnership has continued to strengthen despite global geopolitical tensions and uncertainty. Sergey Lavrov, meanwhile, said Russia continues to support India’s priorities on major global platforms including BRICS, the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20.

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