Russian Media: "Phase 2 Operation Goal is Full Control of Donbas and Southern Ukraine" (Comprehensive)

Sputnik News, TASS News, and others
Report citing statements by Russian Brigadier General

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Foreign media reports have emerged stating that the second phase goal of the Russian military's so-called "special military operation" in the Ukraine war is the complete control of the entire eastern Donbas region and the southern part of Ukraine.

On the 22nd (local time), Sputnik News and TASS News cited statements from Lieutenant General Rustam Minnekayev, Deputy Commander of the Russian Central Military District, reporting this.

Lieutenant General Rustam Minnekayev said at the annual meeting of the Sverdlovsk Province Military Industry Association near the Ural Mountains, "Since the start of the second phase of the special operation, such missions have already begun," adding, "One of the tasks of the Russian military in the second phase of the special military operation in Ukraine, which began two days ago, is to secure complete control over the Donbas region and the southern region of Ukraine."

He continued, "Control over the Donbas region will enable the creation of a land corridor connecting to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014," and "Control over the southern region of Ukraine will also provide the Russian military with another route to advance into Transnistria (Russian name: Pridnestrovie), a pro-Russian separatist region in Moldova."

Transnistria is a pro-Russian separatist republic that declared independence from Moldova in 1990, with about 30% of its approximately 500,000 residents being ethnic Russians. Russia has stationed thousands of troops there as peacekeepers under an agreement with Moldova signed in 1992.

The Russian military declared the completion of the "first phase operation" at the end of last month, withdrawing troops from northern areas including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv (Kiev), and has recently intensified offensives on the eastern front, including Donbas.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government announced an additional weapons support plan worth about 1 trillion Korean won following last week, stating that the Ukraine war has entered a critical phase. U.S. President Joe Biden said in a White House speech on the 21st (local time), "The war is entering a critical phase as it moves into another chapter," and "We will provide an additional $800 million (approximately 990 billion Korean won) in military aid to enhance Ukraine's combat capabilities in Donbas and the eastern region."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.