Putin Orders “Security Buffer Zone” Along Ukraine Border After Spike in Attacks

By Staff, Agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that the country’s military is actively working to establish a “security buffer zone” along the border with Ukraine.

The directive, aimed at protecting Russian border regions from Ukrainian attacks, was announced Thursday during a government meeting focused on the security situation in areas such as Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk.

Putin noted that Russian forces are currently implementing the plan, stating that enemy firing positions are being suppressed. The concept of creating a “cordon sanitaire” inside Ukrainian-controlled territory was originally raised by the Russian leader in March 2024, as a means to shield civilians from long-range strikes, particularly those involving Western-supplied weapons. At the time, he said that Moscow could be "forced" to establish a zone that would be difficult for Ukrainian forces to penetrate.

The announcement follows a recent Ukrainian attack on the Russian town of Lgov in the Kursk Region, which wounded at least 12 civilians, including two children. According to regional officials, the strike targeted a key roadway and was reportedly carried out using a US-supplied HIMARS rocket system.

In addition, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported a surge in drone activity, with 485 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones intercepted over the past 48 hours across various regions. Of those, 63 were downed in the Moscow Region, and the highest concentration was reportedly intercepted over the Orel Region.