Entire Donbas, Southern Part Of Ukraine And Land Corridor To Crimea. Russia Announces New Invading Goals

During the "second phase of the special operation" in Ukraine, the Russian invaders want to establish full control over Donbas and southern Ukraine, as well as provide a land corridor to Crimea. This was stated by the acting commander of the Central Military District of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnekayev, Interfax reports.

Thus, the occupiers want to completely capture Donbas and secure a land corridor to Crimea.

"Since the beginning of the second phase of the special operation, it has already begun just two days ago, one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish complete control over Donbas and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land corridor to Crimea, as well as influence the vital objects of the Ukrainian economy," Minnekayev said.

Minnekayev said that control over the southern part of Ukraine would allow the Russian Federation to gain access to the unrecognized Transnistria, where, according to him, the Russian-speaking population is also allegedly oppressed.

"Control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there are also facts of oppression of the Russian-speaking population," Minnekayev said.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Ukraine needs heavy weapons to liberate the territory occupied by Russian troops. Otherwise, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Western countries could have prevented a full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation by imposing sanctions and providing Kyiv with enough necessary weapons.