President Vladimir Putin said Friday he did not rule out his forces taking control of Ukraines northeastern city of Sumy as part of efforts to develop a buffer zone along the border.
We have no goal to take Sumy, but in principle I do not rule it out ...
They pose a constant threat to us, constantly shelling the border locations, Putin informed Russias flagship financial forum in St.
Petersburg.Sumy is around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border and has been heavily targeted considering that Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
In a string of hawkish remarks, Putin appeared to repeat his rejection of Ukrainian statehood.
I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one individuals.
Because sense, all of Ukraine is ours, he said.
There is a saying: wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that is ours.
The remarks raise fresh doubt over the prospect of peace talks in between Moscow and Kyiv.Russia has for months been declining require an unconditional ceasefire, and has required Ukraine give up even more territory as a precondition.Ukraine launched a counter-attack into Russias western Kursk region last August from its northeastern Sumy region.Kyivs troops caught dozens of border settlements, which they held for months, before being pushed out by Russias forces with the help of countless North Korean soldiers previously this year.Putin has considering that ordered his soldiers to create what he called a buffer zone along the Russian border inside Ukrainian territory.Russias army has actually taken a variety of border settlements in the Sumy area in current weeks.Putin said Friday his soldiers were up to 12 kilometers inside Ukrainian area in the region, which is not one of the 5 Ukrainian areas that Moscow declares to have actually officially annexed.