Kremlin reveals its goal for 'second phase' of Ukraine invasion

Russia has revealed that the goal of its invasion of Ukraine is to take "full control" over southern Ukraine as well as the eastern Donbas region. The announcement by a top military official marks the first time Russia admitted it was fighting to establish a land corridor through Ukrainian territory connecting Russia to Crimea, the peninsula it annexed in 2014. "Since the beginning of the second phase of the special operation, which began literally two days ago, one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over Donbas and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land corridor to Crimea," Maj. Gen. Rustam Minnekaev, the acting commander of Russia's Central Military District, said according to TASS, a Russian state news agency. #CNN #News

[robertcowan]

Of course they want the ports for themselves and to deny port access to Ukraine. That's military objectives 101.

[ghost-hyut]

Russia celebrating the end of Hitler's regime just to start a new one history repeats itself

[OperationDx]

This just can't be allowed to happen. But I'm sure the leaders of the world know this.

[jerolvilladolid]

If you give them donbass, they will want southern ukraine. If you give them southern ukraine, they will want moldova, if you give them moldova, they will want parts of lithuania linking kaliningrad, it will never stop unless you say NO. Thats how you stop a bully at a playground.

[carolynalsup]

I feel like I'm watching "NFL Today" it's so weird how we discuss War and strategic tactics and of course being a vet I am used to briefs, but these War "Pre-game" shows are kind of weird.

[wenku]

I will say this about Ukraine - they've survived longer than CNN+

[AskMississippiAskMississippi]

“The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.” -Dr. Albert Einstein

[ericcrabtree]

We were tipped off on this a month ago when Lukashenko was on TV showing the battle map. Russia can take it by pummeling each major city along the way, but what would they really gain? Nobody wants to be the king of ruins. Rebuilding the areas would be costly and the personnel would be under constant attack by the Ukrainian forces around the perimeter. While it’s better to have the land bridge, the supply lines are long and vulnerable. Though they might landlock Ukraine, the Russians will pay a high price in men and materiel to try keeping it. Avoiding a long war of attrition would require augmenting the forces in Belarus, Crimea, and Donbas to push into Kiev again along three fronts. Russia simply does not have the trained manpower to do that. If they try, we’ll see another CF convoy on three sides getting chewed up. If they dig in, they’ll be slowly bled by the influx of supplies from the west. Either way, it’ll be ugly.

[onamattapeeya]

Surely I can't be the only one that sees him playing connect the dots with former Soviet Republics, this has been his life's goal since 1991, phase 3 will be invading Moldova, and I have said for years that they should have reunited with Romania, now it's too late

[qrsx]

There are still people who believe they are here to "liberate" local populations, that conveniently happen to live on territories that connect this and that strategic locations ?

[ValensBellator]

I just can’t believe they went public with that goal. To date they’ve dramatically hedged their publicly stated goals to protect themselves from visible failure. It is hard to see them reaching and taking Odessa.

[tarp-grommet]

They can make ambitious plans but they cannot make an infantry that wants to fight.

[xjunkxyrdxdog]

Also know as Shifting the goalposts...
Remember when we thought russia was a superpower?

[stephenrickstrew]

Their goals are to stick their arm further into the wood chipper …..

[dewiehero]

This is the most “build the aircraft as your flying” moment I’ve ever seen

[dbmeo]

More like second attempt. "Second phase" is when you've succeeded the first one. We all know you didn't.

[philipmathews]

There was only one phase - to seize Ukraine and install Putin's puppet government in Keiv. But they failed in this sole phase. Now they are making phases to save their face 😂😂😂😂
Slava Ukraini 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[lacosax]

Can’t believe we allow civilians to get slaughtered.

[franknaranjo]

Ukraine and NATO cannot allow Russian operations to invade the Southern Coastal Line, it will be devastating to everyone. This is so important to the Survival of Ukraine.

[bigtex]

They adjust their goals downward as the failures mount. Enjoy those new Phoenix Ghost drones, guys.