He will need Mariupol if he wands a land bridge through the Pro-Russian Donbas into Russian-held Crimea, hence the heavy fighting. Kiev is just a bargaining chip, something he’ll concede to win peace and ease the sanctions.
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Agreed. Vlad is playing chess, Senile Joe, well, he is not even capable of playing old maid. Forecast: Sorry, folks, Vlad wins. Ukraine brought to the negotiating table as Vlad has been asking.
Odessa will be the next big target.
Total control over the northern coast of the Black Sea is the prize.