Russia Signals Plans to Expand Buffer Zone in Northern Ukraine

(MOSCOW) – Russia has announced plans to expand what it calls a buffer zone inside northeastern Ukraine in 2026, following instructions from Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, according to senior military officials in Moscow.

The statement was made by Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and was reported by Reuters. Russian media also said Gerasimov recently inspected the so called North group of troops, which operates near the Ukrainian border.

Gerasimov said Putin had ordered the expansion of the buffer zone in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions, both of which border Russia. Moscow claims the aim is to push Ukrainian forces deeper into Ukrainian territory and to prepare for further offensive operations.

According to Russian officials, the North group of troops was formed at the beginning of 2024. The Kremlin says its mission is to establish a security buffer along the border, although Ukraine and its allies view such statements as part of Russia’s broader military pressure and continued invasion.

The announcement comes amid heightened rhetoric from Moscow, including recent claims that Ukraine attempted to attack one of Putin’s residences using unmanned aerial vehicles. Russian authorities have provided no evidence to support this allegation. Ukraine has rejected the claim, saying it is an attempt to justify further escalation and to undermine any potential peace efforts as the war approaches its fourth year.

As of now, there has been no official response from Ukrainian authorities to Gerasimov’s remarks about the buffer zone expansion.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to present evidence for the alleged drone incident, urging the public and media to accept the Kremlin’s account without verification. The statement has drawn scepticism from Ukraine and international observers, given Russia’s record of unsubstantiated claims since the start of the war.

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