Reuters: Russian general says Moscow aims to capture southern Ukraine
KYIV/MARIUPOL (Reuters) -A Russian general said on Friday that Moscow wants to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, far wider war aims than it had acknowledged as it presses on with a new offensive after its campaign to capture the capital Kyiv collapsed last month.
Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia's central military district, was quoted by Russian state news agencies as saying Moscow aimed to seize the entire eastern Donbas region, link up with the Crimea peninsula, and capture Ukraine's entire south as far as a breakaway, Russian-occupied region of Moldova.
That would mean pushing hundreds of miles beyond current lines, past the major Ukrainian cities of Mykolaiv and Odesa.
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WNU Editor: Ukraine has responded to these reports .... Ukraine says Russian plan to take full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine is 'imperialism' (Reuters).
Senior Russian General Says The Military Goal Is To Now Seize All Of Southern And Eastern Ukraine
Ukraine war: Russia 'plans to seize southern Ukraine' -- BBC
Russia says it plans full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine -- Reuters
Russian commander suggests plan is for permanent occupation of south Ukraine -- The Guardian
Russian general says Moscow aim is to leave Ukraine as a landlocked country -- Euractiv
Russia says it plans ‘full control’ of Donbas and southern Ukraine -- Politico
Russia aims to take "full control" of southern Ukraine, general says -- CBS
Gaining control of Donbas next goal: Russian army -- Anadolu Agency
Russia says it wants to capture Donbas and southern Ukraine -- Axios