Promising Full Support For Donbas Separatists Against Ukraine, Kremlin: Protection Of The Republic Main Purpose Of Special Military Operations

Illustration of the troops of the Russian-backed separatist group in Donetsk. (Wikimedia Commons/Mstyslav Chernov)

JAKARTA - The main objective of Russia's military operation in Ukraine is to protect the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk, the Kremlin said on Monday, after the leader of one of the separatist regions requested additional troops from Moscow.

Denis Pushilin, leader of Ukraine's Russia-backed Donetsk region separatists, said earlier on Monday there had been an increase in fighting and shelling in the region.

"All the necessary forces, including allied forces, including the troops of the Russian Federation, will be engaged to fight the enemy," Pushilin said.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russia's state news agency RIA as saying the protection of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions was Russia's concern.

"In general, the protection of the republic is the main goal of special military operations," Peskov said.

The RIA agency reported earlier that several civilians, including a child, were killed in Monday's shooting.

Reuters could not independently claim Russia's claims of increased shelling in the Donetsk region and there was no immediate reaction from Kyiv to the development.

Donetsk and Lugansk are two breakaway entities backed by Russia in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that Russia says are struggling to be completely removed from Kyiv control.

Russia recognized the two territories as independent states ahead of its invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, separatists took control of most of eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Moscow called its actions a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and its allies in the West say the fascist accusations are baseless and the war is an act of unwarranted aggression.