US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
Putin Orders Expansion of Buffer Zone in Ukraine for 2026
Russian forces claim control of about 950 square kilometers in northeastern Ukraine as Putin directs expansion of the buffer zone in Sumy and Kharkiv regions in 2026.
- Dec 31- President Vladimir Putin ordered expansion of a buffer zone in Ukraine in 2026, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said, according to Russian news agencies RIA and Reuters.
- Putin ordered continued operations toward Zaporizhzhia, pressing efforts to capture the city while the Kremlin directed continued efforts to establish a security zone.
- Gerasimov inspected the 'North' troop grouping and held a meeting at a command post, Reuters and RIA reported; the group, formed in early 2024, aims to create a buffer and push Ukrainian units back.
- Kyiv rejected Moscow's buffer proposal, saying it justifies deeper incursions, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the plans `mad`, pledging Ukrainian resistance.
- Shortly after an alleged attempt on Putin's residence, Gerasimov's remarks followed Russia's vow to retaliate despite no evidence, while Kyiv denied the claim as an effort to derail peace talks nearing their fourth year.
Insights by Ground AI
52 Articles
52 Articles
Russia’s Top General Says Putin Ordered 2026 Buffer Zone Expansion in Ukraine
Moscow’s top general announced on Dec. 31 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered troops to expand a region the Kremlin calls the “security zone” in Ukraine in 2026. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said the areas in question are the Ukrainian regions of Sumy and Kharkiv near the Russian border. “In the current months, the pace of expansion of the security zone has increased,” Gerasimov said, according to Russian state news …
·New York, United States
Read Full Article![RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroundnews.b-cdn.net%2Finterests%2F2a0109015009cf4c268971a719f58598126b4051.jpg%3Fwidth%3D24&w=64&q=75){kind=small}
The North group took control of about 950 square kilometres in the Sum and Kharkiv regions, released 32 localities, claimed the Chief... RIA News, 31.12.2025
·Russian Federation
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources52
Leaning Left7Leaning Right13Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution54% Right
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources lean Right
54% Right
L 29%
C 17%
R 54%
![RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroundnews.b-cdn.net%2Finterests%2F2a0109015009cf4c268971a719f58598126b4051.jpg%3Fwidth%3D60&w=128&q=75)
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
