Russia Signals Expansion of Buffer Zone in Ukraine’s Northeast in 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo) via The Hindu
Moscow/Kyiv: Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said Russian forces were pressing forward in northeastern Ukraine and that President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of a so-called buffer zone in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions in 2026, Russian state news agencies reported on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
According to RIA Novosti, Gerasimov said Putin issued the directive while reviewing operations of the “North” troop grouping, a formation established in early 2024. The unit has been operating in northeastern Ukraine with the stated objective of creating a buffer along the Russian border and pushing Ukrainian forces deeper inland to enable further advances.
The remarks come days after Moscow vowed retaliation over what it claimed, without presenting evidence, was an attempted attack on President Putin’s residence. Kyiv denied the allegation, calling it an attempt to derail diplomatic efforts as the conflict approaches its fourth year. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately respond to Gerasimov’s latest comments.
The Kremlin has repeatedly framed the buffer zone concept as a defensive necessity, arguing that it would move Ukrainian artillery and drones farther away from Russian border regions such as Belgorod and Kursk, which Moscow says have faced repeated shelling and drone strikes.
Ukraine has firmly rejected the idea, saying it is being used by Russia to justify deeper incursions into its territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Moscow’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv as “mad” and has vowed that Ukrainian forces will continue to defend the regions.
The renewed emphasis on territorial expansion underscores the lack of progress toward a negotiated settlement, with both sides maintaining hardened positions as the war drags on.
Our Final Thoughts
Russia’s buffer zone push signals prolonged conflict rather than de-escalation. As Moscow doubles down on territorial objectives and Kyiv rejects any concessions, prospects for peace remain distant heading into 2026.