Russia's Shoigu says war in Ukraine will end when Putin's 'tasks' are completed

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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday Moscow’s war in Ukraine will end once all of President Vladimir Putin’s "tasks" there are completed. 

"Today, the main priorities for us are the preservation of life and health of subordinate personnel, and the elimination of threats to the safety of the civilian population," he said speaking to Russian media outlets. "The special military operation will continue until the tasks assigned by the Supreme Commander are completed."

Putin has refused to call his war in Ukraine an invasion and has instead dubbed it a "special military operation."

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MAY 9: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R), Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and Commander-in-chief of Ground Forces Oleg Salukov (C) attend the Victory Day Parade at Red Square on May 9, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. Russia is marking their 77th Victory Day today.  (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

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Moscow has remained ambiguous when it comes to its intended goal in Ukraine, but Putin’s invasion has resulted in the greatest humanitarian crisis and security threat in Europe since World War II.

At the onslaught of the invasion, Putin claimed his troops would "demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine."

Western and Ukrainian officials have repeatedly refuted Russia’s claims of Nazi oppression in Kyiv and have pointed to the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, was democratically elected. 

Russia’s original intentions became apparent as it made immediate attempts to take Ukraine’s capital city and showed overt aggression towards Zelenskyy after Russian forces reportedly attempted to storm the presidential palace twice. 

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Sunday, May 29, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks on as he visits the war-hit Kharkiv region. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

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"The enemy has designated me as target number one; my family is target number two," Zelenskyy said in February. 

Western officials warned that Putin’s intent was to forcibly remove Zelenskyy and instate an official sympathetic to the Kremlin.

However, after a month of intense fighting, Moscow failed to take Kyiv and withdrew its troops to be refitted before announcing its second wave operation would focus on taking "full control" over eastern and southern Ukraine. 

Galyna Bondar, mourns next to the grave of her son Oleksandr, 32, after burying him at the cemetery in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday, April 16, 2022. Oleksandr, who joined the territorial Ukrainian defence as a co-ordinator was killed by a gunshot by the Russian Army.  (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

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Russia claimed on Sunday it had taken over the northern Donbas region, known as Luhansk, and was pushing its troops south-west further into Donetsk.

Heavy fighting continues throughout the Donbas, and Ukrainian officials have warned Russia will not stop even if it is able to gain control over its seaports and the eastern regions and will make another attempt for Kyiv.