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Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia's central military district, was quoted by Russian state news agencies as saying full control over southern Ukraine would give it access to Transnistria, a breakaway Russian-occupied part of Moldova in the west.
Putin says Russia has ‘liberated’ city of Mariupol with civilians trapped
Russia pressed its new offensive in eastern Ukraine on Friday while in the port city of Mariupol, a full evacuation has been called for after Moscow declared victory there despite Ukrainian forces holding out.
Russia wants full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine as part of the second phase of its military operation. . Read more at straitstimes.com.
Russia said on Thursday it had won the war's biggest fight - the battle for the main port of the Donbas, Mariupol - after a nearly two-month siege.