In his New Year’s Eve address, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia believes it will achieve its goals in the war in Ukraine, praising Russian soldiers for what he called their courage and sacrifice. He framed the conflict as a struggle for Russia’s security and sovereignty, saying the country remains united behind its armed forces.
Putin’s remarks come as fighting continues along multiple фронts, with no ceasefire in sight. Ukraine has rejected Russia’s claims, reiterating that it will continue to defend its territory with Western military and financial support. International efforts to end the war have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
Russia is moving ahead with plans to widen what it calls a buffer zone inside northeastern Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin ordering its expansion in 2026, according to comments by the country’s top military officer reported on Wednesday.
Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russian forces were continuing to advance in northeastern Ukraine and that Putin had directed an expansion of the buffer zone next year in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions, close to the Russian border. According to Reuters, Gerasimov made the remarks while inspecting the “North” troop grouping, as reported by Russian state news agency RIA.
The “North” grouping, established in early 2024, has been operating in northeastern Ukraine with the stated aim of creating a buffer along the border and forcing Ukrainian units to retreat further back, allowing for additional advances. Reuters reported that Russian military officials describe the effort as part of a broader push to secure border areas.
Gerasimov’s comments came shortly after Russia vowed to retaliate over what it claimed, without providing evidence, was an attempted attack on Putin’s residence. Kyiv rejected the allegation, saying it was intended to derail peace efforts as the conflict approaches its fourth year, Reuters reported.
