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Lavrov warns a phone user at BRICS talks then jokes about guns sparking laughter in Delhi
International
Published on 15 May 2026
He escalated politely to a deadpan gun joke
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov brought an unexpected burst of humor to the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on Thursday after confronting a man using a phone nearby. Lavrov first asked him to step away, then sharpened his tone when he didn’t comply. Staff reportedly tried to take the device as the man resisted. Breaking the tension, Lavrov added that if the phone wasn’t surrendered, “they will take out the gun,” prompting laughter as the serious diplomatic session continued. Videos went viral.
- Lavrov was attending the May 14-15 BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting
- He first asked the man to leave, then warned “I am not joking”
- Staff reportedly attempted to confiscate the phone, but the man resisted
- Lavrov joked “they will take out the gun” if the phone wasn’t surrendered
- The man’s identity remains unknown and details weren’t independently verified
- BRICS faces internal strains over West Asia and Strait of Hormuz tensions
Read the full story at Republic
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
Republic