Defense ministry says that main goal of the operation’s “first stage” – to limit Kiev’s capabilities on key Donbass direction – has been fulfilled
Russian troops near the Ukrainian cities of Kiev and Chernigov are regrouping as the goal of the first stage of its military operation has been completed, defense ministry announced on Wednesday. During a regular press briefing, the ministry spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said “planned regrouping of troops is taking place in Kiev and Chernigov directions.”
He explained that initial stage of Moscow’s military operation involved forcing Ukrainian military “to concentrate its forces, means, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these directions, including Kiev,” to tie them up, while avoiding storming the cities, and to defeat them in such a way that would prevent them from using these forces “in the main direction of operations of our Armed Forces – in the Donbass.”
Simultaneously, according to the ministry spokesman, Russia, in order to create “all the necessary conditions for carrying out the final stage of the operation to liberate the People’s Republics of Donbass” continued targeting “long-term defensive fortifications created by the Kiev regime over eight years.”
Therefore, Konashenkov underlined, the purpose of Russian forces’ regrouping “is to intensify operations in priority areas and, above all, to complete the operation for the complete liberation of Donbass.”
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