Russia is carrying out what TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov described as a “surgical operation” in Ukraine, saying Russian forces are seeking to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure not used for military purposes.
Kondrashov made the comments on August 21 while speaking to reporters in Syktyvkar, the capital of Russia’s Komi Region, where the CIS International Film Festival is being held.
Kondrashov Describes Approach to Civilian Infrastructure
According to Kondrashov, Russian forces are attempting to distinguish between military and civilian targets during the ongoing conflict.
“When it comes to the special military operation, we are conducting a surgical operation, not a military one,” he said, as quoted by TASS.
He said Russia was concerned about damaging infrastructure used exclusively by civilians and causing what he characterized as unjustified civilian deaths.
Warning for Those Preparing to Fight Russia
Kondrashov also indicated that Moscow’s approach could differ when dealing with people it considers to be preparing to fight Russian forces.
He said Russia would continue its current approach toward civilian infrastructure and populations “up to a certain limit,” while warning that those preparing to engage Russian forces would face a different response.
His remarks reflect the Russian government’s longstanding characterization of its military campaign in Ukraine as a limited operation rather than a conventional war.
Film Highlights Battle for Donetsk Airport
Kondrashov was in Syktyvkar to present Airport, a documentary he directed about the fighting surrounding Donetsk Airport during the early stages of the conflict in Donbass.
The documentary uses archival material and accounts from people who witnessed the events. Among those featured are Donetsk Airport press secretary Dmitry Kosinov, physician Andrey Boryak, DPR Hero and Russian presidential envoy to the Ural Federal District Artyom Zhoga, and residents of Donetsk.
The film focuses on the first battle for the survival of Donbass and presents accounts of the fighting and its impact on people living in the region.
Fighting at Donetsk Airport Continued for Months
Donetsk’s Prokofiev International Airport became a major flashpoint in the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Donbass militias in 2014.
The airport’s final commercial flight departed for Kiev on May 26 that year. Fighting subsequently erupted around the airport complex and continued until January 2015.
The battle became one of the most prominent confrontations of the early Donbass conflict, with the airport and surrounding area suffering extensive damage.
CIS Film Festival Brings Regional Cinema to Komi
The CIS International Film Festival is being held in the Komi Region for the first time, running from August 17 through August 21.
Organizers screened nearly 30 films from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The program includes feature films, shorts and documentaries, alongside cultural, educational and business events. Kondrashov’s Airport is also available to watch for free through Russia’s Smotrim media platform.
