Putin Orders Army To Establish Big Border Buffer Zone Inside Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is revisiting a strategy first proclaimed last year, but which appeared to be thwarted or put on hold by Ukraine’s Kursk invasion. But now with Kursk liberated from the over six-month Ukrainian troop occupation, Putin is talking a ‘buffer zone’ along the southern border once again.

Russian troops are seeking to carve out a large security buffer zone along the Russia-Ukraine border, Putin announced Thursday during a meeting with ministers and Kremlin officials. “We have approved the creation of a necessary security buffer zone along our borders. Our armed forces are actively working to accomplish this task,” the Russian leader stated.

Putin is fresh off his in-person tour of Kursk region, which happened Tuesday, which was a first since the August cross-border invasion by Ukraine. 

Yet the southern oblasts are still threatened by near-daily artillery and drone fire. A big part of the rationale for a buffer zone is for full stability to return to Russian border towns and villages, for example especially in Belgorod:

He emphasized that, given the recent developments in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions, immediate efforts are required to restore and rebuild areas affected by recent events. This includes assisting local residents in returning to their native villages, provided security conditions allow. Furthermore, it is essential to rehabilitate transportation networks and other infrastructure, ensure the smooth operation of industrial and agricultural enterprises, and support entrepreneurs and their employees.

This month alone has seen hundreds of drones launched from Ukraine onto southern oblasts, with some drones targeting as far as Moscow, which has resulted in commercial flight stoppages this week (not for the first time).

The timing of Putin’s buffer zone plan is very significant, as President Trump is currently being widely perceived as ‘stepping back’ from pursuit of a final peace settlement.

“The enemy chooses targets that have no military significance. It targets ambulances, farm machinery, women and children. We have taken a decision to create a buffer zone along the border of the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions.”

You didn’t expect anything else, did you now. pic.twitter.com/t4natuRrqH

— Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) May 22, 2025

The NY Times is currently reporting that Trump is ready to throw his hands up in the air and say ‘not my problem’ as neither side is ready to compromise:

For months, President Trump has been threatening to simply walk away from the frustrating negotiations for a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine.

After a phone call on Monday between Mr. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, that appears to be exactly what the American president is doing. The deeper question now is whether he is also abandoning America’s three-year-long project to support Ukraine, a nascent democracy that he has frequently blamed for being illegally invaded.

The Times concluded, “In a reversal, President Trump appears to have backed off joining a European push for new sanctions on Russia, seemingly eager to move on to doing business deals with it.”

And yet, on Thursday, the Western allies are speaking loudly:

G7 FINANCE LEADERS SAYS IF A RUSSIA/UKRAINE CEASEFIRE IS NOT AGREED, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS, INCLUDING FURTHER RAMPING UP SANCTIONS – COMMUNIQUE

As for Putin, is he readying to expand operations in Ukraine? This buffer zone could mean new efforts of the Russian military to control chunks of Kharkov, Sumy, and Chernigov. Sumy next?

NEW | Russian President Vladimir Putin likely orchestrated a meeting with Kursk Oblast officials on May 20 to set conditions to justify the renewal of Russian plans to seize Sumy City and illegally annex Sumy Oblast. (1/9) pic.twitter.com/482IyJc2b7

— Critical Threats (@criticalthreats) May 22, 2025

It was a mere day ago that Putin expressed the following in a joking fashion:

President Vladimir Putin appeared to make light of militarily seizing Ukraine’s Sumy region during a visit to Russia’s southwestern Kursk region, even as the Kremlin claims to be pursuing a negotiated end to the war.

The moment was captured on video published by the state-run news agency TASS, in which a local official from the Glushkovsky district near the border with Ukraine told Putin: “Sumy should be ours.”

“We cannot live like we’re on some kind of peninsula. There should be more of us [Russians]. At least in Sumy,” the official, Pavel Zolotarev, added. “With you as commander-in-chief, we’ll win.”

All of this makes Kiev and Europe extremely worried that Putin will have a freer hand, given Trump could be lowering the pressure on Moscow. The White House has thus far resisted ramping up sanctions, despite Europe’s best lobbying efforts.