Ukraine Shrinks As Russia Carves New Buffer Zones While Negotiations Stall

The Greek Courier

EDITOR: Yiannis Damellos

January 1, 2026

Source: REUTERS

Ukraine faces a formidable opponent in Russia, a nation that has honed its military prowess through centuries of resisting invasions from the West. While Ukraine can strive to overcome Russia on the battlefield, outsmarting them poses a significant challenge. The resilience and tactical skill forged in the fires of conflict give Russia a unique advantage, making this struggle all the more intense and compelling.

According to a recent report by Reuters, Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff, visited a command post belonging to Russia's "North" military grouping and instructed troops to continue carving out buffer zones in Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions. His reasoning behind this directive was to protect civilians in Russia's neighboring Kursk and Belgorod regions from potential Ukrainian attacks. However, the main objective seems to be to acquire as much territory as possible to use as leverage when negotiations resume.

Kyiv has repeatedly condemned Moscow's efforts to establish buffer zones within its territory, accusing Russia of using the pretext of security zones to illegally seize more land. President Trump is aware of this situation, as is the State Department, yet neither has taken effective action to address it. The current American administration displays a pro-Russian stance, which is an understatement. Trump believes he can flatter Putin to draw him away from China, but it may be too late for that.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has characterized Moscow's plans for Sumy and Kharkiv as “mad,” asserting that they will be met with resistance as Ukraine defends these regions. Good luck with that! Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces had gained control of approximately 950 square kilometers (366 square miles) in the two provinces, including 32 settlements. While Reuters has not been able to verify his battlefield claims, the balance of power appears to be shifting in favor of Russia since the last failed Ukrainian offensive.

In August 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed the concept of buffer zones after Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region, which resulted in months of fierce fighting as Moscow's forces worked to repel the Ukrainians, with both sides suffering heavy losses. On December 29, during a Kremlin meeting, Putin directed his Chief of the General Staff to carve out more buffer zones in the coming year, emphasizing their significance for the war effort.