Russia’s most senior military officer says Russian forces are continuing to advance in northeastern Ukraine, and that President Vladimir Putin has instructed the military to expand what Moscow calls a “buffer zone” in 2026.
According to Russian state media, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that the plan involves widening the zone in parts of Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions along the Russian border. He made the comments while reviewing the “North” troop grouping, a force created in early 2024 that has been operating in the northeast with the stated aim of pushing Ukrainian troops further from the frontier.
The remarks come after Moscow pledged retaliation over what it described as an attempted attack on Putin’s residence — a claim Ukraine firmly rejects, saying it is being used as a political tool as the war approaches its fourth year and delicate peace discussions continue.
Ukraine has not yet publicly commented on Gerasimov’s latest statements.
President Putin has repeatedly argued that the buffer zone is meant to protect Russian regions such as Belgorod and Kursk from cross-border strikes and drone attacks by increasing the distance from Ukrainian military positions. Kyiv strongly disputes this, saying the “buffer zone” narrative is being used to legitimize deeper Russian movements into Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has previously called Moscow’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv “mad,” vowing that Ukrainian forces will defend both regions against any further advances.
