War in Ukraine: “special military operation moves into the second phase and focuses on the east of the country”

While sirens sound again in Kyiv and bombardments continue, Russia unexpectedly announced the start of the second stage of a special operation in Ukraine. It will focus on the east, for complete control over the regions of Donbass.

According to newsbreak.gr, military experts are puzzled and surprised by Moscow’s unexpected move. They are trying to figure out what it is: a real retreat and opening the way to a short-term end to the war, or compliance with military invasion planning and maintaining military operations on some critical fronts – only in the Donbass or elsewhere.

Russia claims that the original purpose of the special operation was “the liberation of Donbass.” Attacks on other fronts, in particular, on the capital of Ukraine, were aimed at weakening the Ukrainian armed forces and destroying military facilities. As a result of the hostilities, the Russian armed forces, as they declared, control 93% of the Luhansk and 54% of the Donetsk regions – the two regions that make up the Donbass.

However, important questions now arise. For example, will the Russians insist on control of the Sea of Azov or a land link between Crimea and the Donbass? What are their aspirations regarding Kherson, which they seem to control, and whose fate, at one of the stages of negotiations, they proposed to the residents to decide at a referendum?

In the meantime… Today, shortly after 5.30 am, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv again. “Attention! An air alert has been declared in Kyiv! We ask everyone to urgently go to civil defense shelters,” the Kiev regional administration said in a Telegram statement. Sirens sound in many other Ukrainian cities. Authorities are urging residents not to ignore air raid warnings to help them stay alive and save the lives of children.