Russia says 1st stage of military op in Ukraine completed, main goal to 'liberate' Donbass

As Russia's burgeoning invasion of Ukraine entered its 31st day on Saturday, a top Russian General on Friday delivered a detailed public remark, stating that the Russian military will now focus on east Ukraine as the "first stage of military operations" now seem to be over. Indicating a strategy shift, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy said, the primary target will now be "liberating" eastern Ukraine after Russia has succeeded in "substantially reducing" the combat capacity of Kyiv. 

"In general, the main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed," Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoy, first deputy chief of Russia's General Staff stated during a press briefing on Friday.

"The combat potential of the armed forces of Ukraine has been significantly reduced, allowing us, I emphasize again, to focus the main efforts on achieving the main goal - the liberation of Donbas," he added.

Rudskoy's remarks come as Russian forces have stalled advancement around key Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv, which were previously thought to be crucial targets, along with the aim of toppling the Zelenskyy-led government. In addition, Russian forces also failed to gain leverage over Ukrainian airspace, largely thwarting massive success in making significant progress in the conquest. However, General Rudskoy asserted that carrying out a coup was not the primary objective of Moscow. "The public and individual experts are wondering what we are doing in the area of ​​the blockaded Ukrainian cities," Rudskoy said.

"These actions are carried out with the aim of causing such damage to military infrastructure, equipment, and personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result, it allowed us not only to tie down their forces and prevent them from strengthening their grouping in the Donbass, but also ensure the Russian army completely liberates the territories of the DPR and LNR," he added.

Rudskoy's remarks were in line with the Russian President Vladimir Putin's euphemistic goal of "military operations" which were aimed to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine from Azov nationalists and liberate the rebel-majority regions of Donetsk & Luhansk (collectively known as Donbass). The pro-Russian separatist-held region was unilaterally recognised as independent on February 21 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Initially, we did not plan to storm them (Ukriane) in order to prevent destruction and minimize losses among personnel and civilians. While we do not exclude such a possibility, nevertheless, as individual groupings complete the tasks set, and they are successfully solved, our forces and means will be concentrated on the main thing -- the complete liberation of Donbas," Rudskoy's said.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Putin launched the full-blown attack on Ukraine on February 24, dubbing it a "special military operation." While he repeatedly defended his decision, saying that the war did not target civilians, there is overwhelming evidence that claims otherwise. Targeted attacks on residential buildings, shopping malls, art centers, hospitals, and many more, forcing nearly 7 million to leave the embattled nation and be displaced internally. 

While Rudskoy's statements implied a shift in Moscow's intention, Russian forces have continued to inch closer to Kyiv. Meanwhile, as the West has bolstered efforts to impose stricter sanctions on Russia, President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated calls for the "need to engage in urgent, fair and serious peace talks."

(Image: AP)