Without results on this particularly symbolic forehead, impossible for Moscow to end its military operation or to claim victory.
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“The objectives of the first stage of the special military operation in Ukraine are filled,” announced the Russian command, Friday, March 25, explaining that it was now going to focus on “the main objective: the liberation Donbass “. Adaptation to a more difficult military situation than expected? No, answers the Russian army.
Without offensive on other more distant fronts, “Ukrainian forces would have stopped rebuilding,” said the deputy chief of the Russian Staff, Sergei Roudskoi, at a point of Press summoned more than a month after the start of this “special operation”. Efforts have first focused on “denid and demilitarization” of Ukraine, objectives that would be achieved.
This announcement of reorientation of the Russian forces is to be taken with caution, as well as the number of Russian losses unveiled at the same time – 1,351 dead and 3,825 wounded. Whatever the reality of Moscow’s intentions, his army should not relax the pressure on the other fronts, from kyiv to the north to Mykolav south. “The taking of the encircled Ukrainian cities was not planned,” said General Roudskoi, but it remains “possible”.
Entering territorial continuity
Whether it’s the main objective of the operation from its beginnings or adaptation of the plans, the priority given to the Donbass is logical, both in strategic and communication. The “release” of the regions of Donetsk and Louhansk is even the minimum goal of the Russian offensive: without results on this particularly symbolic forehead, impossible to end the operation or to claim any victory.
The extreme violence of the fighting in Maroupol, the second city of the Donetsk region, accredits this observation. The Russian media present the city as about to fall in full. For the first time, aerial images of the destructions have been shown on television, in recent days: “By withdrawing, the nationalists strive not to leave a single standing brick,” gives the comment alone. Civil losses are attributed to the “Nazis” of the Azov Regiment, which would have shot in the back of civilians seeking to flee.
The taking of maroupol is all the more vital as it allows to endorse a territorial continuity between Moscow and the Crimea, annexed in 2014. The Russian generals do not say nothing of the “plans” provided for this portion southern conquered from Ukraine, where provisional administration unfolds.
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