Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Lavrov says Russia aims at more than Donbass

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

The "geographical objectives" of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine have changed as the West is providing Ukraine with more long-range weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

Beyond Lugansk and Donetsk, the Russian operation will be expanded to the Kherson region, the Zaporizhzhia region and other territories to push the contact line further away, Lavrov told RT broadcaster and RIA Novosti news agency in an interview.

"Because we cannot allow the part of Ukraine that (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky controls or whoever replaces him to have weapons that will pose a direct threat to our territory and the territory of those republics that have declared independence," he said.

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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the Western group of troops involved in the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Shoigu ordered the military to increase the capability of destroying Ukrainian drones and preventing the Ukrainian forces from shelling "liberated" areas.

He had previously inspected the Southern, Central and Eastern groups of troops that participate in the military operation.

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While global concerns over food insecurity grow, Istanbul is preparing to host a second round of talks in anticipation of a solid outcome regarding the safe transport of Ukrainian grain to international markets.

The first round of negotiations among military delegations of Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as representatives of the United Nations concluded last week with an agreement on the basic principles of the shipment process through the Black Sea.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that efforts to turn the outcomes of the meeting into a concrete implementation plan will continue, and a second meeting is likely this week.

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Syria on Wednesday severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine in response to a similar move by Kiev last month.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry made the declaration, saying that Ukraine has taken an aggressive stance towards Syria since 2018.

On June 29, Ukraine cut relations with Syria after Damascus recognized the independence of the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.