KYIV/MARIUPOL Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia has invaded Ukraine and Moscow is planning to take over other countries. A Russian general declared that Moscow wants complete control of the southern Ukraine.

We must unite all nations, who, like us believe that life is more important than death. We are the front-runners and they must support us. Who will be next? Zelenskiy stated this in a late Friday video address.

Russian state media reported that Rustam Minnkayev (deputy commander of Russia’s central military area) said that full control of southern Ukraine would allow it to access Transnistria. This is a separatist Russian-occupied region of Moldova.

This would mean that Russia’s forces could move hundreds of miles west past current lines and beyond the main Ukrainian cities of Mykolaiv or Odesa.

According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Minnekayev’s declaration showed that Russia is not hiding its intents.

Moscow stated that Moscow had accepted the reality of “second phase”, which is the victory against the Nazis. It was merely the Occupation of Eastern and Southern Ukraine. It is imperialism.

Russia declares that it has launched a “special military operations” in Ukraine to disarm and free its people from the hands of dangerous nationalists. Russia’s invading force is considered an unjustified war on aggression by the West allies and Ukraine.

Minnekayev claimed that Russian speakers in Transnistria were being oppressed, something Moldovan leaders and Western leaders deny.

The foreign ministry of Moldova said that it summoned Moscow’s ambassador to voice its concern about Friday’s remarks. It stated that Moldova is neutral.

The European Union accepted the formal application of Moldova to join it last month. This pro-Western strategy was made possible by Russia’s invasion. Its president, Maia Sandu, said on Twitter that on Friday Moldova had submitted its first questionnaire for EU membership as it sought “a better, safer & more prosperous future.”

Jalina Porter of the U.S. State Department refused to make any comment about Minnekayev’s declaration, but she said Washington supported Moldova’s sovereignty. Porter asserted that no one should fall for the Kremlin announcements.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, declined to answer questions about Russia’s expansion of operations and what Moscow thought of the future political prospects of the country.

Zelenskiy stated that allies had finally delivered the weapons Kyiv requested as he met Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretaryof State.

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that he has authorized $800 million more in military assistance for Ukraine. This includes heavy artillery and ammunition, as well tactical drones. Canada confirmed on Friday that it has provided Ukraine with more heavy artillery, fulfilling a promise made earlier in the week.

According to a senior EU official, the outcome of the negotiations will be decided in the coming weeks.

He said that this isn’t a happy ending in a fairytale. There will be a significant rise in Russian military strikes in the east (and) coast.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces have increased their attacks on the eastern frontline and are trying an offensive in Kharkiv, which is north of the Donbas.

According to Ukrainian military command in the east and south, they have repelled Russian aggressions, and 130 of their soldiers were killed. They also destroyed 12 tanks and 27 armoured vehicles. Details that Reuters couldn’t independently verify, however, are available.

According to Russia’s defense ministry, its troops had captured an arms depot located in Kharkiv. On Friday, it reported that its forces had also hit numerous targets in Donetsk-Kharkiv.

WAR CRIMES

The United Nations Human Rights Office stated in Geneva that there were growing signs of Russian war crimes including summary executions and indiscriminate bombardment. According to the UN Human Rights Office, Ukraine was also accused of using weapons that had indiscriminate results.

Russia says it is not targeting civilians but claims, with no evidence, that any signs of atrocities by its soldiers have been faked. Ukraine previously stated that it would punish soldiers who are found guilty of war crimes.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, who were huddled in Mariupol’s main port in the Donbass, had been “securely blocked”, just a day after Vladimir Putin declared the army wouldn’t bother rooting them.

After a two-month long siege, Putin declared victory. A Russian-held part of Mariupol was under siege and guns had fallen silent. Dazed citizens ventured out to see a scene of burning apartment blocks, ruined cars and charred buildings.

In white masks and hazmat suits, volunteers walked through the rubble collecting dead bodies and loaded them onto a truck bearing the symbol of Russia’s invasion.

According to Ukraine, tens of thousand civilians died during Russia’s attack on the city. 100,000 civilians remain there.

Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, stated Friday that “there is a chance” that a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol might be open up Saturday.

Sofia Telehina in Lviv said that Mariupol’s grandmother had wept when she last called and claimed everything had been destroyed. She said, “Since then, I have not been in a position to reach her.”

According to a spokesperson, Antonio Guterres (United Nations Secretary-General) will travel to Moscow to meet with leaders of the country and discuss urgently bringing stability to Ukraine.

Pentagon stated that more than 20 nations would be attending U.S.-hosted defence talks in Germany next Wednesday to discuss Ukraine’s long term defense relations once war is over.