New Delhi: Russia on Friday (March 25, 2022) said that the first phase of its operation in Ukraine was mostly complete and signalled that it was scaling back its ambitions to focus on achieving its 'main goal'.
The Russian Defence Ministry said that it would now focus on the 'liberation of Donbass', a territory which is claimed by Russian-backed separatists in the East.
"The combat potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been considerably reduced, which ... makes it possible to focus our core efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbass," said Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate.
Breakaway Russian-backed forces have been fighting Ukrainian forces in Donbas and the adjoining Luhansk region since 2014. They declared independence with Moscow's blessing - but not recognised by the West - soon before the February 24 invasion.
Over 1,300 Russian soldiers killed, more than 3,800 wounded
It is noteworthy that the Russian troops have failed to capture any major city in the month since invading Ukraine. Battlelines near Kyiv, have been frozen for weeks with two main Russian armoured columns stuck northwest and east of the Ukrainian capital.
While Russia's defence ministry has said that 1,351 Russian soldiers had been killed and 3,825 wounded, Ukraine claims that 15,000 Russian soldiers have died.
The ongoing war has so far driven a quarter of Ukraine's 44 million people from their homes. More than 3.7 million of them have fled abroad with half to neighbouring Poland. The United Nations has confirmed 1,081 civilian deaths and 1,707 injuries in Ukraine since the February 24 invasion. It, however, has stated that the real toll was likely higher.
Mariupol, a city of 4,00,000 before the war, has been among the worst hit by the Russian bombardment. Tens of thousands of people are still believed to be trapped with little access to food, power or heat.
The cities of Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy in the east have also endured devastating bombardment.
Resistance had dealt Russia 'powerful blows'
In a video address late Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his troops' resistance had dealt Russia "powerful blows".
"Our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: we must talk, talk meaningfully, urgently and fairly," Zelenskiy said.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of trying to "cancel" Russian culture, including composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov, comparing it to actions by Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
(With agency inputs)
