Moscow-Sana
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Russian Armed Forces achieved the most important goals of the first phase of the special military operation in Ukraine, significantly reduced the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces and almost completely destroyed the Air Force and the air defense system, and there is no longer a presence of the Navy in Ukraine.
The Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army, General Sergei Rudskoy, said in a press statement today that the Russian forces continue to advance in various axes and have so far besieged the cities of Kyiv, Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy and Nikolaev, and took control of the entire Kherson province and most of the territory of the Zaporozhye province, in addition to seizing control of large areas of Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, including control of 276 towns and villages.
Rudskoy explained that the forces of the Lugansk Republic liberated 93 percent of its territory, and the forces of the Donetsk Republic liberated 54 percent of its territory.
Rudskoy pointed out that the number of foreign mercenaries and terrorists who arrived in Ukraine due to the conflict is estimated at at least 6,595 people from 62 countries, stressing that the rules of war do not apply to them and they will be eliminated relentlessly.
Rudskoy indicated that the number of these foreign militants has now decreased thanks to the Russian army's implementation of high-precision strikes on their bases and training camps, noting that 285 militants fled during the last week from Ukraine to the territories of Poland, Hungary and Romania.
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