Russia armed forces reach Mariupol'

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The goal of the Russian military operation is to give the reins of power in Ukraine to parties who enjoy responsibility and establish an authority that is allied with Moscow, Al Mayadeen correspondent reported Saturday, citing Russian sources.

Earlier today, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov underscored that Ukraine rejected going back to the negotiating table, and that was just a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used Russian to call on Moscow to kick off negotiations.

Commenting about Kiev rejecting talks and Moscow resuming its military operation, "Friday afternoon, regarding the anticipated negotiations with the Ukrainian authorities, the commander of the armed forces, the President of Russia, ordered the Russian armed forces to halt their advances."

Moscow makes it to Mariupol'

The Russian army has made its way to the city of Mariupol', Al Mayadeen correspondent reported, citing sources familiar with the developments.

"The Donbass popular army have also reached Mariupol' from the east, and sources said the Russian army is advancing toward Nikolayev from several sides in order to encircle the city," our correspondent added.

Sources informed the correspondent that the Russian armed forces aim to encircle Odessa from the north after isolating it from the Black Sea, noting that the Ukrainian army has been suffering from an en masse desert on its various fronts in the south.

Reliable Russian sources informed Al Mayadeen correspondent to Russia that Moscow had ordered its forces to neutralize the military capabilities of extremist Ukrainian groups and prioritize capturing them.

"The commanders of the Russian units are authorized to negotiate with Ukrainian officers to cooperate on enforcing security and order within the cities of Ukraine," sources reported.

"The Ukrainian soldiers are highly responsive to cooperation with the Russian forces," they added.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov revealed Saturday that Ukrainian nationalist battalions are copying the tactics of international terrorists in Syria.

"Nationalist battalions are using so-called ‘Bandera cars’ which are cross-country vehicles with large-caliber firearms or mortars mounted on them. Let me remind that this tactic is practiced by international terrorists in Syria," Konashenkov told reporters.

A local source in Kiev revealed to Al Mayadeen's correspondent that Russian forces are not engaging in battles in the streets of Kiev, noting that armed groups estimated at 20,000 members of extremists are terrorizing Kiev's residents and engaging in killing and looting operations. 

Simultaneously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian extremist national groups are bombing civilian targets while Kiev accuses Russian forces of doing so.

Russia had for months been warning of the threat posed against it by NATO's attempts to expand eastward, which happened simultaneously with an increase in NATO military activity along Russia's borders, and batches of lethal weapons being sent to Ukraine, prompting Russia to request security guarantees from the West. Washington failed to provide the guarantees.

After the West did not respond to Russia's demands, and amid Ukrainian shelling on the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, President Vladimir Putin initiated a special military operation in Donbass.