• Chief of General Staff Gerasimov announces 2026 buffer zone expansion
• Ukraine peace plan calls for Russian withdrawal from border regions
• Moscow frames zone as protection from cross-border attacks and raids

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (TDR) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of a buffer zone along the Russia-Ukraine border in 2026, Moscow’s top general announced Wednesday. The directive signals Russia’s intention to sustain military operations in northeastern Ukraine despite ongoing international peace negotiations.

Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said he recently inspected the “North” troop grouping pushing back Ukrainian forces in the buffer zone, Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported. The Kremlin has long maintained the zone in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions protects Russian civilians from enemy raids and cross-border attacks.

Military Justification

Gerasimov told Russian news agencies that Putin ordered the 2026 expansion during inspections of the North troop grouping and command post meetings. The general said Russian forces were continuing to advance into Ukrainian defenses in the northeastern border regions.

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“President Putin ordered expansion in 2026 of the buffer zone in Ukraine’s regions of Sumy and Kharkiv near the Russian border,” Gerasimov stated, according to reports from multiple Russian state media outlets.

The North grouping was formed in early 2024 specifically to operate in northeastern Ukraine with the stated aim of creating a buffer along the border. Russian military officials describe the effort as forcing Ukrainian units to retreat further back, allowing for additional territorial advances.

Putin has repeatedly framed the buffer zone as a defensive measure designed to push Ukrainian forces and weapons farther from Russia’s border. The Russian president has cited cross-border shelling and drone attacks on regions including Belgorod and Kursk as justification for the territorial buffer.

Ukraine Rejects Buffer Zone Concept

Ukraine has dismissed Moscow’s buffer zone narrative, calling it a pretext Russia uses to legitimize deeper incursions into Ukrainian territory. The stretch is widely seen as nothing more than a land grab designed to establish Russian control over additional Ukrainian regions.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called Moscow’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv “mad” and vowed they will be resisted as Ukraine defends the regions. Ukrainian authorities had no immediate response to Gerasimov’s Wednesday announcement about the planned 2026 expansion.

The buffer zone expansion announcement came shortly after Russia vowed to retaliate for what it claimed, without evidence, was an attempted attack on Putin’s residence in northwestern Russia. Kyiv denied the allegation, characterizing it as an attempt to derail peace efforts as the conflict approaches its fourth year.

Peace Plan Contradictions

The buffer zone expansion directly contradicts elements of ongoing peace negotiations between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow. A peace plan drawn up by Kyiv and Washington explicitly calls for Russia to withdraw from border regions to help rebuild the war-torn nation.

The latest 20-point framework proposal, details of which Zelenskyy revealed last week, specifically calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The document also proposes that international troops be stationed along the contact line to monitor implementation of any agreement.

“We are saying: If all regions are included and if we remain where we are, then we will reach an agreement,” Zelenskyy stated, referring to halting fighting at current battle lines. “But if we do not agree to remain where we are, there are two options: Either the war continues, or something will have to be decided regarding all potential economic zones.”

The United States has offered Ukraine security guarantees for 15 years as part of the proposed peace framework, though Zelenskyy has said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts to seize Ukrainian territory.

Strategic Implications

The planned buffer zone expansion signals Russia’s intention to sustain and potentially broaden military operations in northeastern Ukraine well into 2026 despite diplomatic efforts seeking a negotiated settlement. An expanded buffer zone could harden front lines, complicate peace talks and increase humanitarian pressures in contested regions.

The announcement comes as President Donald Trump intensifies diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict. Trump hosted Zelenskyy at his Florida resort recently and insisted Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace settlement, though he acknowledged negotiations could still collapse.

Trump held what he characterized as “a very good talk” with Putin this week as the American president tries to steer the countries toward a settlement. However, key issues including territorial control and troop withdrawal locations remain unresolved.

“We have a few very thorny issues, as you can imagine,” Trump told reporters about the negotiations. “If we get them resolved, you’re going to have peace.”

Civilians Caught in Middle

Civilians in Sumy and Kharkiv face direct impacts from the buffer zone strategy, with fighting near border areas raising risks of displacement and infrastructure damage. The regions have experienced repeated Russian attacks throughout the conflict.

Moscow has linked recent military actions to alleged threats against Putin, claims Ukraine has denied. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed Ukraine launched an attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region using 91 long-range drones, an accusation Zelenskyy called “another lie” aimed at manipulating the peace process.

The buffer zone expansion order demonstrates the fundamental disconnect between Russia’s territorial ambitions and international peace efforts. While negotiators work toward compromise, Putin emphasized to senior military officers the need to create military buffer zones along the Russian border.

“This is a very important task as it ensures the security of Russia’s border regions,” Putin said during recent military meetings, according to reports.

International Response Expected

Fighting in the border regions is expected to continue as Ukraine resists Russian attempts to expand the buffer zone. NATO and European allies have warned against accepting any peace plan that legitimizes Russian territorial gains through force.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv’s allies will meet in Paris in early January to finalize concrete contributions to security guarantees for Ukraine. European leaders have insisted that any credible peace agreement must stop the killing while not sowing seeds for future conflict.

Can peace negotiations succeed while Russia simultaneously announces plans to expand its buffer zone deeper into Ukrainian territory?

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