MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republics of Eastern Ukraine will meet on Friday to discuss their plans to open embassies here in Moscow.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president signed Monday decrees to recognize two regions that were separated from Russia before ordering an invasion.

According to the ministry, the two sides will discuss Russian military operations against Ukraine as well as opening the Moscow embassies for the Donetsk People’s Republic (Luhansk People’s Republic) and Donetsk People’s Republic. These sides also plan to discuss the possibility of opening Russian diplomatic outposts within the regions.

Russian-backed separatists from the Donetsk, Luhansk, and other regions are collectively called the Donbass. They broke away in 2014 from Ukrainian government control and declared themselves to be independent “people’s republics”.

Putin authorized a “special military operation” against Ukraine to end what he described as a grave security risk to Russia. His goal was to militarily demilitarize Russia’s southern neighbor, he stated.

In the wee hours of Friday, Russian missiles struck Ukraine’s capital Kyiv as well as other areas. According to a senior Ukrainian official, Russian troops will be entering areas outside Kyiv on Friday.