Russia is about to complete the first phase of its military operation in Ukraine

The Russian Ministry of Defense on March 25 announced the first phase of the operation military in Ukraine is almost completed. Russian forces will focus on the main goal of “complete liberation” of the Donbass region in Eastern Ukraine.

The announcement seems to suggest that Russia may be turning to more restrictive targets after encountering resistance from the Ukrainian armed forces during the first month of the military campaign.

The Russian Defense Ministry also confirmed that separatist forces in eastern Ukraine currently control 93% of the Lugansk region and 54% of the Donetsk region, two localities in the Donbass region.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not rule out the possibility of landings in blocked Ukrainian cities, and warned that Russia would react immediately to any attempt to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called on the United States and Western countries to establish a no-fly zone and provide weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.

However, the US and NATO have so far rejected the possibility of establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine for fear of the risk of direct conflict with Russia.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the military operation in Ukraine will continue until the Russian forces complete the tasks set out, but did not specify the tasks.

“Currently, the Ukrainian air force and air defense systems are almost completely destroyed, while the navy is no longer operational,” said Sergei Rudskoy, head of the Operations Department of the General Staff of the Russian Army. .

According to Rudskoy, the operation to demilitarize Ukraine is ongoing by carrying out precision strikes against military infrastructure, military unit deployment areas as well as airports and military bases. command, ammunition depot, weapons and equipment depot, associated with skirmishes between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Rudskoy warned Russia would “not turn a blind eye” to any attempt to supply Ukraine with new aircraft and air defense systems, and warned NATO against creating a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

On the same day, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced that Russian military forces had established a land corridor between the Crimean peninsula and the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Russia annexed Crimea from 2014.