The Russian military said the first phase of the operation in Ukraine was nearing completion and would “focus on the liberation” of the Donbass region in the east of the country.
We didn’t originally plan to enter the city Ukraine surrounded, to minimize loss of life. This option is still open, but in the context that many units have completed their assigned tasks, Russian troops will focus on the main goal of completely liberating Donbass,” said General Sergei Rudskoy, head of the Operations Department of the Army General Staff. Russiasaid today.
General Rudskoy announced that the Russian military destroyed 16 main airfields, as well as 39 logistics bases and weapons depots with 70% of Ukrainian weapons in a month of fighting. Eastern separatists control 93% of the territory of Lugansk Oblast and 54% of Donetsk Oblast, two regions of the Donbass region.
Pro-Russian separatist tanks on the outskirts of Mariupol, southeastern Ukraine, on March 20. Photo: Reuters.
The Russian official also warned that Moscow would react immediately to attempts to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something that Kiev had asked NATO to do but refused.
The Russian Defense Ministry released new casualty statistics, saying 1,351 soldiers were killed and 3,825 injured. This is the second time Moscow has disclosed these figures, the first being on March 2. “The government will support military families, guarantee their children’s education, pay off debts and solve housing problems,” General Rudskoy said.
Russia has been launching a military campaign in Ukraine since February 24 and the fighting has shown no sign of abating so far. Russia’s military advances were most profitable on Ukraine’s southern coast, when it captured the large city of Kherson and a number of smaller targets such as Melitopol.
However, in the remaining important targets such as the cities of Kharkov, Mariupol and the capital Kiev, the Russian troops appeared to be surprised by the resistance of the Ukrainian army. Kiev and Western officials said on March 23 that Russian units had been pushed back in Kiev and should switch to a defensive position.
Separate-controlled areas in the Donbass region before the outbreak of hostilities. graphic: Washington Post.
Moscow and Kiev have held several rounds of talks since the outbreak of the conflict, with the help of a number of countries that have good relations with both sides but have yet to find a common voice on a peace deal for Ukraine.
Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiator, said today that the two sides made progress on minor issues but remained deadlocked on “big political issues”.
Vu Anh (Based on between fax)
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