Putin again gradually reached out to his defense minister and ordered him to continue the offensive in Donbass

President of Russia , Russian President Vladimir PutinMonday ordered to the Russian troops Continue their offensive in eastern UkraineAfter occupying the entire Lugansk region.

the boss again Stagesitting at a table next to his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, in A Televised and practically written conversation.

Shoigu told Putin this weekend that Russian forces were in full control of the Luhansk region, a major victory for the Kremlin more than four months after the start of a military offensive in Ukraine.

Putin said the forces that were part of the campaign in Luhansk should “rest and restore their combat capabilities”.

“But other units, including the eastern and western groupings, must fulfill their tasks in accordance with the established plans, according to the single plan. “I am confident that the same will happen in other directions that have occurred so far in the direction of Lugansk.”, added the head of the Kremlin.

Putin noted that he had received proposals for the “development of offensive operations” from the leaders of the Central and Southern groups, Generals Alexander Labin and Sergey Surovkin, who – he declared – would be marked with the title of Hero of Russia.

“I ask you to present to your decoration all the soldiers who excelled in these hostilitiessaid the chief.

Shoigu reported to Putin that during the offensive, which took control of the cities of Severodonetsk, Lishychansk and 22 other towns, the Ukrainian armed forces suffered 5,469 casualties, 2221 of them fatal, lost 196 tanks and other armored vehicles, 12 aircraft, helicopters, 69 drones and various other weapons. He did not give details of the figures for the Russian victims..

“At the moment, mines are being cleared in Lyzhchansk, humanitarian and medical aid is being provided to the civilian population,” the minister said.

Having abandoned its initial goal of capturing the capital, Kyiv, after stiff Ukrainian resistance, Russia focused its efforts on complete control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of the country.

(with information from the EFE and AFP)

Read on: