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Zelenskyy Warns of Russian Buffer Zones Expanding Into Belarus and Ukrainian Borders
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the growing security concerns in Ukraine, emphasizing Russia's continued efforts to establish buffer zones along the country's borders.
These zones include not only areas in Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy regions but also extend into Belarus, Zelenskyy stated during the meeting with press on April 9.
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“The Russians want to have a buffer zone along the entire border—not only their own, but also Belarus’s. That includes the Chernihiv and Sumy regions as well. There’s nothing new here,” Zelenskyy remarked.
While expressing confidence that the current threats in these areas are manageable, Zelenskyy drew attention to the concentration of Russian troops in other critical regions.
“Their main objective remains unchanged—the Pokrovsk sector. It is an important city for them; they have been trying to capture it for a long time. It is also important for us because that is where our line of defense and our defensive positions are,” Zelenskyy explained.
Turning to the larger military dynamics, Zelenskyy shared insights into the ongoing struggle with Russia's military buildup. Despite Ukrainian forces continuing to eliminate a large number of Russian troops each month, the Russian forces are persistently expanding their grouping by bringing in personnel from strategic reserves.
“In a month we eliminate the same number of occupiers as they mobilize, yet the size of their grouping continues to grow. They are increasing their grouping by bringing in personnel from their strategic reserves,” Zelenskyy said, describing the situation as a complex challenge for both sides.
Zelenskyy also mentioned that the Russian leadership has outlined ambitious plans to capture key cities, including Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk by the end of April. However, the Ukrainian president made it clear that such goals were unrealistic.
“This is impossible, but it is not the first time they have set themselves some kind of deadline. They have set this as a target, but we do not see any capability for the Russians to achieve this,” Zelenskyy noted.
At the same time, Russian military forces are reportedly considering the establishment of a buffer zone in Ukraine's Vinnytsia region, potentially originating from the unrecognized Transnistrian region, according to Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Palisa confirmed that Russian plans had for the first time included such a proposal. However, he downplayed immediate concerns, stating that he did not currently foresee Russian forces having the capacity to carry out such plans.
“These plans have been recorded for the first time, but there is no reason for panic. At this moment, I do not see the forces capable of executing these intentions,” Palisa remarked.
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