Ukraine conflict is a ‘stepping stone’ for Europe invasion, Putin ally warns

A newly-promoted Russian military normal says the invasion of Ukraine is a mere “stepping stone” to an even bigger operation in Europe.

Fears of the battle escalating have been ever-present because the begin of the invasion in February 2022 – particularly for international locations that neighbor Ukraine and had been as soon as a part of Soviet territory.

And days after he was promoted by Vladimir Putin, newly-appointed Colonel-General Andrey Mordvichev signaled he would not be against extending the entrance previous its present boundaries.

Mordvichev has been enjoying a key function in Ukraine as commander of the Central Military District and Russian Central Grouping of Forces within the occupied territories.

During an look on state-run Russia-1, the Colonel-General mentioned he may see Putin’s conflict lasting for a very long time and transferring on to contain different European nations.

He mentioned: “I think there’s still plenty of time to spend. It is pointless to talk about a specified period.

“If we’re speaking about Eastern Europe, which we should, after all then will probably be longer.”

Asked whether or not Ukraine was a “stepping stone” in a larger plan, the general said: “Yes, completely, it is just the start.”

Putin has long been accused of plotting to revive the long-collapsed Soviet Empire by bringing together its former territories into a unified block.

The Russian leader has repeatedly said he does not see Ukraine as an independent country and insisted the whole territory should be brought under Moscow’s control.

Putin also claimed the “particular operation” he launched over 18 months in the past was an try to stop NATO enlargement and to guard Russian-speaking minorities in Ukraine from “genocide”.

His unsubstantiated stance has fueled concerns of new operations in Poland, Moldova as well as Latvia and Estonia.

The threat has pushed several Eastern European nations to strengthen their defenses and to contribute extensive military aid to Ukraine in the form of training and weapons.

And rather than convince Kyiv to give up NATO and EU aspirations, the invasion only strengthened Ukraine‘s resolve to join both.

Finland and Sweden, whose governments remained on the fence on membership of the Atlantic alliance for years, both applied to join shortly after the invasion.

However, Russia‘s capability to increase the battle previous Ukraine‘s border has been challenged after it emerged Putin was turning to his North Korean allies to boost ammunition stocks.

Estimates say the reclusive and isolated Asian country has tens of millions of artillery shells and rockets that could give a huge boost to the Russian army.

US officials expect North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to go to Russia in the coming days to seal a possible deal on munitions transfer with Putin.

That would be a remarkable reversal from the 1950-53 Korean War, when the Soviet Union provided the communist North with weapons and ammunition.

White House officials believe Moscow’s reach for North Korean weapons is a reflection of Russian military problems.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the quality of North Korean weapons is an “open question”.

“It says a lot that Russia is having to turn to a country like North Korea to seek to bolster its defense capacity in a war that it expected be over in a week,” Sullivan said.

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