Russian general stated on Friday that Moscow intends to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, significantly broader war goals than it had previously recognized.

According to Russian state news media, Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia’s central military district, Moscow aims to conquer the entire eastern Donbas region, connect up with the Crimea peninsula, and capture Ukraine’s entire south as far as a breakaway, Russian-occupied portion of Moldova.

This would entail pushing hundreds of miles beyond current lines, past Mykolaiv and Odesa, two of Ukraine’s most populous cities.

Ukraine said that his remarks disproved Russia’s prior claims that it possessed nuclear weapons.

On Twitter, Ukraine’s defense ministry stated, “They quit hiding it.” Russia possessed “acknowledged that the ‘second phase’ of the war’s purpose is simply to occupy eastern and southern Ukraine, not to defeat the fictional Nazis. Imperialism in its current form.”

Russian forces have boosted attacks throughout the entire frontline in the east, according to Ukraine’s military staff, and are attempting to mount an offensive in the Kharkiv region, which is north of Russia’s main aim, the Donbas.

The famous Barabashovo market in Kharkiv was struck by Russian shellfire. There had been casualties, according to ambulance services, but no details were available at this time. There was additional damage to a wedding hall and a residential building.

[embedpost slug=”kim-of-north-korea-expresses-rare-admiration-for-moon-south-korea-who-is-leaving-the-country/”]