Russia announced that the first phase of its military strategy is now complete, and that its next primary focus will be on eastern Ukraine.
According to CNN, a top Russian general, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, first deputy chief of Russia's General Staff, stated this in a Friday briefing.
This is the first time Russia has made such detailed public remarks about its military strategy in neighbouring Ukraine.
"In general," he said, "the main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed."
"The combat potential of Ukraine's armed forces has been significantly reduced, allowing us, once again, to concentrate our efforts on achieving the main goal — the liberation of Donbas."
"The public and individual experts are curious about what we are doing in the area of the blockaded Ukrainian cities," Rudskoy explained.
According to Rudskoy, military operations were carried out with the goal of destroying Ukraine's military infrastructure, equipment, and personnel in order to not only prevent Ukrainian forces from congregating in the Donbas, but also to prevent them from strengthening until Russian forces completely liberated the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
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