The Russian Ministry of Defense exposed public documents confirming the Kiev authorities' preparations for an offensive operation in Donbass in March.

Official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov said that "in the course of a special military operation, secret documents of the command of the National Guard of Ukraine came into the possession of the Russian military. These documents confirm covert preparation by the Kiev regime of an offensive operation in Donbass scheduled for March 2022." 

According to Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, Russia's MoD recalls the Kiev regime's February statements about the alleged absence of any plans for the armed seizure of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics (LPR, DPR) and Ukraine's purported desire to resolve all issues "by political and diplomatic means."

According to Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, Russia's MoD recalls the Kiev regime's February statements about the alleged absence of any plans for the armed seizure of LPR and DPR and Ukraine's purported desire to resolve all issues "by political and diplomatic means."

"However, the originals of the secret military documents of the National Guard of Ukraine clearly prove the falsity of those statements," he added.

The spokesperson stated that the MoD had in its possession the order of the Commander of the Ukrainian National Guard, Colonel-General Mykola Balan, dated 22 January 2022, which detailed the plan for preparing an offensive in the Donbass.

Measures to strengthen Ukrainian military capabilities in the Donbass region were implemented by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine starting from January 19, according to the obtained document.

The document also includes instructions for all activities aimed at achieving "nationalist combat coordination" to be completed by February 28 in order to ensure the fulfillment of "combat missions as part of the Ukrainian "Joint Forces Operation" in Donbass," Konashenkov stressed.

He also stated that Ukrainian military units that were to be involved in the Donbass offensive had been trained in Lvov by US and UK instructors since 2016.

The Russian president had announced a special military operation in Ukraine, on February 24, to protect the people of the DPR and LPR, who asked for Russia's aid against attacks by Ukraine's forces.

Russian officials have repeatedly said that they do not seek to occupy the country and that the operation's aim is to de-nazify and demilitarize Ukraine by specifically targeting military infrastructure.