s The Russian Defence Ministry has repeatedly warned that Ukrainian forces and nationalist battalions have been preparing dangerous provocations in order to blame Moscow for them. The West has so far ignored Russia's concerns and warnings. For over two weeks now, Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure with precision weapons to achieve the special military operation's goal of demilitarising Ukraine. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, a total of 3,213 military objects have been disabled since the op was launched.
At the same time, the Donbass militia is continuing its counteroffensive against Kiev's forces, liberating the city of Volnovakha, and tightening its encirclement of the city of Mariupol.
Russian President Vladimir Putin green-lighted a special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February after the Donbass republics appealed for help in defending themselves against continued attacks by Kiev. Demilitarisation and "denazification" are among the key goals of the op. Ukrainian forces have been waging an eigh-year military campaign in the Donbass region, which declared independence following a coup in 2014, that resulted in over 13,000 deaths.
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