Russias Defense Ministrysaid Friday that its forces were developing a buffer zone in the locations of northeastern Ukraines Sumy area that surround southwestern Russias Kursk region, where Moscow just recently said it forced out Kyivs troops.President Vladimir Putin proposed developing the so-called buffer zone to protect the Kursk region from future attacks during his see there in March.
His proposition was followed by reports of a possible Russian offensive, which Ukraines top commanderconfirmed last month.Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimovtold Putin recently that the Kursk region had actually been fully freed with the aid of North Korean soldiers.
Kyiv preserves that its forces are still present in parts of the Kursk area, where Ukrainian soldiers introduced a surprise attack in August 2024.
The development of a security belt continues the territory of Sumy border locations in Ukraine, the Defense Ministry said in a declaration Friday.Sumy region Governor Oleh Hryhorovsaid Tuesday that Russian troops had a hard time to gain significant success in taking a buffer zone.
He said four border towns were in a gray zone due to border attacks, with the DeepState open-source battlefield monitorsaying 82 square kilometers (32 square miles) of the Sumy region are under neither sides control.Meanwhile, Russian state media quoted a confidential Russian security source assayingthat Ukrainian forces were developing several defensive lines in the Sumy region.