russia officially acknowledges that it wants to control Donbas and southern Ukraine

Ksenia Omelchenko

The russian army called the task of russian troops in the "second phase of the special operation" to establish "complete control over Donbas and southern Ukraine."

This was reported by the Deputy Commander of the Central Military District of russia, quoted by TASS and RIA Novosti.

According to a military official, the russian army must establish "full control over Donbas" during the "second stage of the special operation."

According to him, "control over Donbas will create a land corridor to the Crimea and affect vital facilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

And "control over the south of Ukraine will give the russian Armed Forces another way out to Transnistria, where there are facts of oppression of the russian-speaking population," said the deputy commander of the Central Executive Committee of russia.

He did not specify how many "phases" of the war russia is planning.