May 9 not a relevant date for Ukraine operations: Russian minister Sergei Lavrov

"Our soldiers won't base their actions on a specific date," Sergei Lavrov said when asked whether the May 9 anniversary would mark a turning point in the conflict.

The upcoming anniversary of Russia's liberation at the end of World War II will have no bearing on Moscow's military operations in Ukraine, the country's foreign minister said on Italian television on Sunday.

Russian servicemen guard an area in Berdyansk, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine.(AP)

"Our soldiers won't base their actions on a specific date," Sergei Lavrov said when asked whether the May 9 anniversary would mark a turning point in the conflict.

"We'll commemorate our victory in a solemn manner but the timing and speed of what is happening in Ukraine will hinge on the need to minimise risks for civilians and Russian solders," he added, speaking in Russian through an Italian interpreter.