INVC NEWS
Moscow – : Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified rhetoric surrounding the war in Ukraine, declaring that the entire territory of Ukraine belongs to Russia. During a recent statement from Moscow, Putin warned that Russian forces are preparing to seize control of Sumi, a northeastern Ukrainian city, to establish a strategic buffer zone near the Russian border.
According to Putin, the people of Russia and Ukraine are “one and the same,” and by that logic, all of Ukraine rightfully belongs to Russia. He clarified that this stance does not question Ukraine’s independence outright but emphasized that Kyiv must abandon regions currently under Russian control.
Ukraine Rejects Russian Claims, Says Putin Wants War to Continue
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected Putin’s claims, especially the assertion that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Zelenskyy stated that Russia’s real objective is to weaken Ukraine by targeting key territories, such as the Sumi region, and insisted that Putin has no interest in ending the conflict. According to Kyiv, Moscow’s actions suggest continued aggression rather than de-escalation.
Russia Controls 20% of Ukraine’s Territory
Currently, Russia holds approximately 20 percent of Ukraine, which includes:
The Crimea Peninsula, annexed in 2014
Over 99% of the Luhansk region
More than 70% of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions
Partial control of areas within Kharkiv, Sumi, and Dnipropetrovsk
This territorial grip allows Russia to expand its influence and maintain frontline positions deep inside Ukrainian territory.
Buffer Zone in Sumi: Russia’s New Military Focus
Recently, President Putin announced plans to create a buffer zone along the Ukrainian border, particularly targeting the Sumi region. This move is designed to shield Russian border towns from Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes.
Russian forces have already captured four villages in the Sumi region, pushing them into what military analysts call a “gray zone” — contested areas where control is fluid and both sides engage in low-scale skirmishes. Moscow believes that securing Sumi city as part of this buffer will significantly reduce Ukraine’s ability to launch cross-border attacks.
Sumi’s Strategic Significance in the War
Located close to the Russian border, Sumi has become a focal point due to its proximity to key Russian regions vulnerable to drone incursions and shelling. Military experts suggest that turning Sumi into a buffer zone serves dual purposes:
Protects Russian civilian areas from Ukrainian retaliation
Dilutes Ukrainian firepower in the northeast, forcing Kyiv to redirect military resources
The Kremlin’s strategy appears aimed at stabilizing frontlines while slowly expanding control through targeted territorial advances, especially in vulnerable zones like Sumi.
Escalation Likely as War Enters New Phase
Russia’s renewed push toward Ukrainian border regions signals a dangerous escalation in the conflict, with both sides rejecting compromise. As Russia strengthens its grip on key areas and establishes new military zones, Ukraine remains firm in its defense and denial of Russian claims.
Sumi now stands at the center of this intensifying standoff, as the city faces the threat of being absorbed into a militarized buffer region — a move that could further shift the dynamics of the ongoing war.
