Russia aims to seize southern Ukraine

Russia aims to seize southern Ukraine and open a route to the separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova. Major General Rustam Minnekayev specified that Moscow would seek to take full control over the south in addition to the eastern Donbas



region.

Transnistria is a small Russian-backed region that borders Ukraine.  It claimed independence after the fall of the Soviet Union in a bloody conflict, but is not recognized internationally and officially remains part of Moldova.