According to Rustam Minnekaev, deputy commander of the Central Military District, the Russian army plans to establish full authority over the Donbas and Southern Ukraine, as well as a land corridor to Crimea. He also warned that regaining control of Southern Ukraine would provide Russian soldiers another route into Moldova’s pro-Russian breakaway Transdniestria, which borders Ukraine. Kyiv is concerned that this might be used as a springboard for fresh assaults.

“This will provide a land corridor to Crimea and have an impact on the Ukrainian military’s most important facilities, the Black Sea ports, which supply agricultural and metallurgical items to neighbouring nations.

“Control of Ukraine’s south is another route to Transnistria, where the Russian-speaking populace is likewise subjected to tyranny.

“It appears that we are at war with the entire globe, just as we were with the entire world during the Great Patriotic War.

“It’s the same now; they’ve never loved Russia.”

“Control over the south of Ukraine is another path to Transdniestria,” he said, “where there is also evidence of oppression of the Russian-speaking minority.”

Kyiv said earlier this month that a regional airstrip was being prepped to receive planes and be utilised by Russian forces to send in troops heading for Ukraine.

However, both Moldova’s defence ministry and Transdniestria’s leadership refuted the charges.

The deputy commander also debunked rumours that Russia is losing a large number of soldiers in the fight, claiming that the tally has already surpassed 20,000.

He asserted that Russian soldiers’ “technological advantage” on land, sea, and in the air is clear to everybody.

Minnekaev went on to say: “The Russian military forces do not incur any losses while striking.

“The morale of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is particularly low as a result of this.

“The Russian army’s technical superiority on land, at sea, and in the airspace has become clear.”

The conflict in Ukraine has been raging since February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the go-ahead for an invasion after massing 100,000 troops near the border for weeks.

Russia described it as a “special operation” aimed at weakening Ukraine’s military capability and removing “dangerous nationalists.”

Ukrainian military have put up a valiant fight against Russian advances on several of the country’s most important towns, including the capital Kyiv.

Western nations have retaliated by slamming Russia and Putin with harsh economic penalties in an attempt to convince Russia to remove its soldiers.

In the meanwhile, Moldovan parliament speaker Igor Grosu announced that his country had made another significant step toward “EU integration.”