Ukrainian president Zelenskyy (File photo)
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday alleged that Russia was carrying the near four-year war “into the New Year” with more than 200 drones fired at Ukraine, mainly targeting energy infrastructure.”Russia deliberately brings war into the New Year -– launching more than two hundred attack drones against Ukraine overnight,” Zelenskyy said on social media, adding that the “targets were our energy infrastructure.”Russia on Wednesday claimed fresh gains in northeastern Ukraine, saying President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of a so-called “buffer zone” along the border in 2026, according to Russian state media.Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said Putin has directed forces to widen this buffer zone in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which lie close to the Russian border. Russian news agency RIA reported that Gerasimov inspected the “North” troop grouping and held meetings at a command post during his visit.The “North” group, formed in early 2024, has been operating in northeastern Ukraine with the stated aim of pushing Ukrainian troops away from the border and establishing a security belt. Russian officials say the force is trying to gain ground in Sumy and Kharkiv while positioning itself for further advances.Putin has repeatedly argued that the buffer zone is needed to push Ukrainian troops and weapons farther from Russia’s territory, citing shelling and drone attacks on border regions such as Belgorod and Kursk.Gerasimov’s remarks came days after Moscow vowed retaliation over what it claimed, without offering evidence, was an attempt to attack Putin’s residence. Ukraine denied the allegation, saying it was meant to undermine peace efforts as the war nears its fourth year.There was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials to Gerasimov’s latest comments, Reuters reported.Kyiv has firmly rejected Moscow’s buffer zone plan, accusing Russia of using it as a pretext for deeper incursions into Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Russia’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv as “mad,” saying Ukraine will continue to resist and defend the regions.
