Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that Russian forces are actively establishing a “security buffer zone” along the Russia–Ukraine border, a move that has drawn immediate criticism from Kyiv and international observers as a further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
“I have already said that a decision was made to create the necessary security buffer zone along the border. Our armed forces are currently solving this problem,” Putin said during a government meeting in Moscow. He added that Ukrainian firing positions are being actively suppressed as part of the effort.
Putin’s remarks follow earlier indications from March when he visited Russia’s Kursk region, an area that had previously seen Ukrainian advances. During that visit, Putin discussed potential restoration work and was reportedly asked by local officials to consider a buffer zone extending into Ukraine’s Sumy region.
Putin said the plan aims to restore destroyed infrastructure and allow civilians to safely return to their homes in areas near the frontlines. He is expected to host a dedicated meeting on rebuilding and stabilization efforts in border areas, according to Russian state media.
Ukrainian and International Response
The announcement was swiftly condemned by Ukraine. Foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi labeled the move as “aggressive”, saying it demonstrates that “Russia is the obstacle to peace efforts now.” Kyiv has consistently rejected any unilateral attempts by Moscow to annex or alter its internationally recognized borders.
The development comes just ahead of a major prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, expected on Friday, following last week’s landmark direct talks in Turkey — the first formal negotiations between the two sides in three years. The agreement includes the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Thursday that Russia has received Ukraine’s proposed list for the exchange. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that his government is verifying “the details for each individual included on the lists submitted by the Russian side.”
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Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States are set to meet in Geneva for a third round of trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the nearly four-year war, even as both sides intensify military pressure on the ground.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russia’s decision to change the leadership of its delegation for upcoming peace talks in Geneva appeared to be an attempt to delay progress.
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Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Australia on Tuesday (3 March), aiming to bolster relations between the two so-called "middle powers" amid what he has called a "rupture" in world order.
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The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
The UK said it's allowing the U.S. to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iran amid escalating missile attacks, after a suspected drone strike hit a British airbase in southern Cyprus, causing limited damage.
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