Russia’s Gerasimov says Putin ordered Ukraine buffer zone expansion in 2026
Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Putin ordered the expansion of the buffer zone in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions near the Russian border in 2026, RIA said, adding that he was supervising the “Northern” troop grouping.
The group, created in early 2024, operates in northeastern Ukraine, trying to create a buffer along the border and pushing Ukrainian forces back there to advance further.
Gerasimov’s remarks follow Russia’s vow to retaliate for what it claims, without evidence, was an attempt to attack Putin’s residence; Kiev has denied the claim, saying it was aimed at derailing peace talks as the war approaches its fourth year.
There was no reaction from Ukraine to Gerasimov’s report.
Putin has repeatedly portrayed the buffer zone as a way to divert Ukrainian forces and weapons away from the Russian border, citing cross-border shelling and drone strikes on areas such as Belgorod and Kursk.
Kiev has rejected Moscow’s buffer zone, calling it an idea Russia uses to justify deeper incursions into Ukrainian territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv were “crazy” and would be resisted while Ukraine defended the regions.
