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In late February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in response to requests from Ukraine's breakaway people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk to protect them amid intensified attacks by the Kiev forces.

The Russian army together with militia forces of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics continue advancing as part of the special military operation in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Russian Defense Ministry announced that the territory of the LPR was liberated and the next goal was to push Ukrainian forces away from the DPR and liberate the entire Donbass region.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently commented on the geography of the continuing operation in Ukraine, stressing that it has changed in light of the supply of US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to Kiev. He explained that Russia won't tolerate the presence of weapons that might pose a threat to its territory and to the territory of "those republics that have declared their independence, those who want to define their future themselves".

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