Zelensky stated the real purpose of Russia in the second phase of the operation in Ukraine

“All countries need to unite with Ukraine. They have to help us, because we are the first victims. So which country will be Russia’s next target?” Zelensky stated in a video late on Wednesday, April 22.

Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia’s Central Military District, was quoted by Russian state news agencies as saying that full control of southern Ukraine would give Moscow access to Transnistria, a part of Russia-occupied breakaway located in the west of Moldova.

This would cut off Ukraine’s entire coastline and mean that Russian forces would exert more pressure westward, beyond the current line, through the major Ukrainian coastal cities of Mykolaiv and Odessa.

On Twitter, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry interpreted Minnekayev’s statement to show that Russia is no longer hiding its intentions.

According to the statement, Moscow has now “recognized that the goal of the ‘second phase’ of hostilities is not victory over Nazism, but simply control of eastern and southern Ukraine”.

Earlier, Russia said it was conducting a “special military operation” to demilitarize and de-fascist Ukraine. Kiev and its Western allies call the Russian campaign extremely gratuitous and irrational.

Minnekayev added that Russian speakers are persecuted in Transnistria, but Moldovan and Western leaders have denied the allegation.

Moldova’s foreign ministry said it summoned the Russian ambassador on April 22 to express “deep concern” about the general’s comments.

“Moldova has always maintained a neutral position,” the ministry said in a statement.

Moldova last month officially applied to join the European Union (EU). President Maia Sandu said on Twitter on April 22 that Moldova had sent its first questionnaire on EU membership because it was looking for “a better, safer and more prosperous future”.

US State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter declined to comment specifically on Minnekayev’s statement, but she said that Washington firmly supports Moldova’s sovereignty, and affirmed that the US is fully aware of what is happening in the world. fieldwork in Ukraine.

“People should be alert to the Kremlin’s announcements,” Porter stressed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked if Russia has expanded its operational goals and how Moscow sees the political future in southern Ukraine.

On April 21, US President Joe Biden authorized $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including heavy artillery, ammunition and tactical drones. On April 22, Canada said it had supplied more heavy artillery to Ukraine, as promised earlier this week.

A senior EU official said the next few weeks could be decisive.

“This is not a fairy tale with a happy ending,” he told reporters. “We see a significant increase in the intensity of Russian military attacks in the east as well as in the coastal area.”

The Ukrainian military says Russian forces have increased the conflict along the eastern front lines and are trying to attack in the Kharkov region, north of their main target, the Donbass.

Ukrainian military commands in the south and east said they repelled 11 Russian attacks, destroyed 130 soldiers, destroyed 12 tanks and 27 other armored vehicles, details of which have not been obtained by Reuters. confirm.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces had captured a large arsenal in the Kharkov region. The ministry also reported hitting dozens of targets in the Donetsk and Kharkov regions on April 22.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Moscow on April 26 to discuss peace talks for Ukraine, a spokesman said, adding that Guterres could also visit Kiev.

The Pentagon says more than 20 countries will attend defense talks hosted by the United States in Germany next week to examine Ukraine’s long-term defense capabilities after hostilities end.