Russia wants to seize southern Ukraine, not satisfied with occupying eastern region

Russia reveal wanting to control the whole area Ukraine south after all this time stating the main goal of the invasion was to occupy the eastern region of the former Soviet Union.

The latest disclosure of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine was made by the Commander of the Russian Central Military District, Major General Rustam Minnekaev, on Friday (22/4).

“Since the beginning of the second phase of special operations, which began literally two days ago, one of the tasks of the Russian army has been to ensure complete control over the Donbas and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land corridor to Crimea,” Minnekaev said at the annual general meeting of the Union of Defense Industrial Companies. in Sverdiovsk according to a report by the Russian news agency, TASS.

Quoted CNNMinnekaev’s statement marks the first time Russia has disclosed the main objective of the second phase of the invasion of Ukraine, namely to establish a land corridor between the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula which Moscow annexed from Kyiv in 2014.

Minnekaev said control of southern Ukraine would give Russian troops greater access to Transnistria, a state in Moldova that has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Transnistria has been the home of a contingent of Russian troops since the early 1990s.

Since Russia announced the second phase of its invasion, President Vladimir Putin’s government forces have shifted their focus to pounding eastern and southeastern Ukraine after failing to capture the capital Kyiv.

Russian troops currently control only part of the area in southern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government still controls the region’s main cities such as Mykolaiv and Odesa.

Although Russia claimed a landslide victory in the battle in Mariupol, Ukrainian troops were still holding out in the port city in southeastern Ukraine, especially in a steel factory that had been the target of Russian attacks.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Russian Presidency or Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on Minnakaev’s remarks and referred the question to the Defense Ministry.

Although many believe that the movement of Russian troops is starting to decline, some observers think that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine will not end in the near future.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged the possibility of Russia winning the war in Ukraine and the fighting could rage on until the end of 2023.
Johnson made the remarks when asked about intelligence estimates that the war could last until the end of next year and Russia won.

“Sadly, it’s a realistic possibility,” Johnson told reporters when asked for a comment on the British intelligence statement on Friday (22/4), as quoted by Reuters. AFP.

Johnson admits that Russian President Vladimir Putin has a strong army. But according to him, Putin did blunder great for ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

“The option he has now is actually to continue with his terrible approach,” Johns said

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[Gambas:Video CNN]

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