Russia wants to push Ukraine Army from eastern regions and maintain ‘land corridor’ to Crimea before May 9

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Defense Ministry Spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Now their objective is absolutely clear: to push Ukrainian forces beyond the administrative borders of Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region and maintain a ‘land corridor’ to the temporarily occupied Crimea. This is the ‘victory’ the Russian leadership will try to ‘sell’ to their society,” Motuzianyk told.

Meanwhile, Russia would not stop on this.

“Apparently, in the future they will try to develop an offensive in other regions as well, namely in Kherson Region, to capture as many areas as possible. Now the enemy is preparing for this, gathering forces and consolidating positions within the captured frontiers. But, this will depend on the results of hostilities in Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region,” Motuzianyk explained.

In his words, Russian troops will attempt to encircle Ukrainian military units.

“It is a tactics of the Russian army – to encircle units in the main directions, fully or partially, restrain forces, block the possible ways of logistics supplies and destroy them. They like to report on creating the so-called ‘cauldrons’. Our task is to prevent them from doing so,” Motuzianyk noted.

In recent days, Russian troops have intensified offensive actions in eastern Ukraine. The number of missile and artillery strikes along the combat line increased. Thus, according to Motuzianyk, the key battle for Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region has started.

“In fact, a broad offensive of the Russian army in eastern Ukraine should have started, sooner or later. It is important to understand that Ukrainian settlements in eastern Ukraine are small and large fortresses, which are now bravely keeping the defense and preventing the enemy from seizing the entire country. Hence, the battle for Donbas, without exaggeration, is a decisive battle for Ukraine,” Motuzianyk stressed.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, torturing and murdering civilians.