Putin sets 660-km security zone inside Ukraine
Moscow wants parts of Sumy and Kharkiv kept off the table in any peace talks with Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a 660-kilometer security zone inside Ukrainian territory along the border with Russia and said the area will not be negotiated in peace talks with Kyiv. During a visit to a military command post on October 16, Putin said the move followed cross-border Ukrainian attacks into Kursk in 2024-2025. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said about 70 percent of the planned zone was already under Russian control, without giving its depth. Reuters reported the plan would require Russia to hold territory in Sumy and Kharkiv, two provinces that were not previously part of the Ukrainian territory Moscow has claimed since the 2022 invasion.