Russia is aiming to take full control of southern Ukraine as well as the eastern Donbas region, a senior Russian commander says.
Maj Gen Rustam Minnekayev was quoted in state media as saying that goal would allow Moscow to form a land bridge to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
He also said it would give Moscow access to the Russian-backed separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova.
Transnistria is a small region that borders Ukraine's west.
It is unclear if Gen Minnekayev's comments were officially sanctioned by the Kremlin, but they were widely cited in Russian state media including the Interfax and Tass news agencies.
The remarks directly contradict earlier claims from Vladimir Putin that Russia was not planning to occupy Ukrainian cities permanently and suggests the Kremlin is changing tack after its failed offensive toward Kyiv, which appeared to seek regime change.
The statement was the first by a high-ranking official about the Russian military’s goals to occupy territory as it manoeuvres for an anticipated “battle for Donbas” in Ukraine’s east.
“Since the beginning of the second phase of the special operation … one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over Donbas and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land corridor to Crimea, as well as affecting vital objects of the Ukrainian economy, Black Sea ports through which agricultural and metallurgical products are supplied to [other] countries,” Minnekayev said on Friday at the annual meeting of the Union of Defence Industry Enterprises of Russia’s Sverdlovsk region.
Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, a move not recognised by the international community.
Russia’s campaign in southern Ukraine has been more successful than its attempts to take Kyiv from the north, although it has also met fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops. Russia has occupied the city of Kherson and has claimed near-total control of Mariupol, as it plans a pincer-style attack on Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region.
Moldova's foreign ministry said it had summoned the Russian ambassador to express "deep concern" about the remarks.
"These statements are unfounded and contradict the position of the Russian Federation supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic of Moldova," it said on its website.
"During the meeting, it was reiterated that the republic of Moldova ... is a neutral state and this principle must be respected by all international actors, including the Russian Federation."
Kyiv earlier this month said that an airfield in the Transdniestria region was being prepared to receive aircraft and be used by Moscow to fly in Ukraine-bound troops, allegations that Moldova's defence ministry and authorities in Transdniestria denied.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flagged comments by a Russian commander who said Moscow wants to take control of southern Ukraine as it would give access to the separatist region of Transnistria in neighbouring Moldova.
Zelensky said the remark showed that Russia wanted to invade other countries and that the attack on Ukraine would only be the beginning.
Responding to the comments, Moldova's foreign ministry expressed "deep concern" over the Russian commander's statement and summoned the Russian ambassador.
It added that Moldova is a neutral state and that this principle "must be respected by all international actors, including the Russian Federation".
