Russia wants to seize land corridors to Crimea and Moldova, Russian general says
![Russian tank](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tvgn5mwsRH9sBJimu95iha-415-80.jpg)
Russian Maj. Gen. Rustam Minnekayev said Friday that Russia plans to take "full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine," CBS News reported.
These gains, he said, would open "a land corridor to Crimea" — connecting the separatist-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine with the peninsula Russia annexed in 2014 — and "give the Russian army access to Transnistria." Transnistria is a narrow strip of land with around 400,000 inhabitants that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova but is de facto self-governing. Russia has had troops stationed in Moldova since 1992.
With Russian troops almost entirely in control of Mariupol, the land bridge to Crimea appears to have been established, but a large swath of Ukrainian-held territory still separates Russian forces from the Moldovan border.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Minnekayev said there is evidence "that the Russian-speaking population" in Transnistria "is being oppressed," a claim that could lay the groundwork for future Russian interventions. A few days into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko — a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — displayed a map during a meeting of his country's security council that appeared to show plans to send Russian troops from southwestern Ukraine into Transnistria.
Reuters identifies Minnekayev as "the deputy commander of Russia's central military district," while CBS refers to him as the district's "acting" commander. The New York Times says Minnekayev's role "in the Russian military's hierarchy" is "obscure."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Why is China stockpiling resources?
The Explainer The superpower has been amassing huge reserves of commodities at great cost despite its economic downturn
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Paraguay's dangerous dalliance with cryptocurrency
Under The Radar Overheating Paraguayans are pushing back over power outages caused by illegal miners
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Tattoo prediction
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Ukraine's stolen children
Under the Radar Officially 20,000 children have been detained since Russia's invasion in 2022, but the true number is likely to be far higher
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Russian advance in Kharkiv prove decisive in Ukraine war?
Today's Big Question Recent gains in northeast could be 'a momentary setback' or a 'turning point', as Kyiv counts the cost of US delay
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
A brief timeline of Russia's war in Ukraine
In Depth How the Kremlin's plan for a quick conquest turned into a quagmire
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Russia jamming GPS in the Baltics?
Under The Radar Satellite location signals are vital for aviation safety but they are 'vulnerable to blocking or distortion'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Aid to Ukraine: too little, too late?
Talking Point House of Representatives finally 'met the moment' but some say it came too late
By The Week UK Published
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?
Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Iran attack hinder support for Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Pro-Kyiv allies cry 'hypocrisy' and 'double standards' even as the US readies new support package
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
The issue of women and conscription
Under the radar Ukraine military adviser hints at widening draft to women, as other countries weigh defence options amid global insecurity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published