Russia's Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of a buffer zone in Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions by 2026. Gerasimov inspected the 'North' troop grouping, which has operated in northeastern Ukraine since early 2024. Russia claims this zone aims to push Ukrainian forces and weapons away from its border, citing cross-border attacks. Ukraine rejects this, viewing it as justification for deeper incursions and vowing resistance to Moscow's plans.