Russian forces are actively working to establish “buffer zones” along the border with Ukraine as a central component of their ongoing military strategy, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. This initiative is presented by Moscow as a necessary security measure to shield Russian border regions, particularly the oblasts (regions) of Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk from a string of increasingly frequent Ukrainian drone attacks, long-range artillery shelling, and sabotage operations that have inflicted casualties and infrastructure damage.
President Vladimir Putin formally articulated this buffer zone concept in May 2025 amid escalating cross-border hostilities. Moscow’s definition of these zones involves pushing Ukrainian military units, paramilitaries, and infrastructure away from the immediate border area, thereby creating a protective “security belt” designed to mitigate the threat posed by Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weaponry, notably long-range artillery systems and advanced drones capable of striking targets up to 70 kilometers inside Russian territory.
The Kremlin’s position underscores that these buffer zones are not simply demilitarized regions, but areas from which Kyiv’s military presence will be systematically removed or neutralized to extinguish cross-border attacks.
Geographical Scope and Military Objectives of the Buffer Zones
The planned buffer zones are estimated to extend roughly 100 kilometers deep into northern Ukraine, covering key administrative regions such as Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv. This extends well beyond Ukrainian artillery’s maximum range, giving Russia a strategic margin to reduce the frequency and effectiveness of Ukrainian strikes on its soil.
In practical military terms, the buffer zone would involve Russian forces conducting offensive operations to gain control of towns, villages, and infrastructure within this belt. The Kremlin has stressed that this operation is defensive in nature aimed at denying Ukrainian forces the opportunity to launch attacks from the borderlands but it effectively means a continuation of territorial contestation and the consolidation of Russian military control inside Ukraine.
Experts note that establishing such a buffer may also serve to secure supply lines, create fortified defensive positions, and disrupt Ukrainian logistics and command structures near the Russian border.
Buffer Zones: Denying Ukrainian Military Presence, Not Civilian Activity
While the Kremlin’s stated objective is to disarm the border region of Ukrainian military and paramilitary formations, it signals that civilians would not necessarily be displaced. The vision, according to Moscow, allows Ukrainian residents to continue farming and living in affected areas, but under Russian control and supervision.
This scenario would imply that Ukrainian civil administration (official Kyiv governance and local authorities) alongside the Ukrainian armed forces and aligned militia groups would no longer operate freely within the buffer zone. Instead, Russian forces or affiliated proxies would exercise de facto control, reshaping the administrative and security landscape near the border.
The challenge this poses is humanitarian and political long-term Russian control of these buffer zones would cement territorial fragmentation within Ukraine, possibly entrenching divisions that foreclose a return to Ukrainian sovereignty over these lands in the immediate future.
Continued Fighting Amidst Stalled Peace Talks in Istanbul
The buffer zone strategy exists against the backdrop of a stagnant peace process. A third round of negotiations took place in Istanbul in late July 2025, but the talks lasted only 40 minutes and failed to produce any substantive progress on a ceasefire or a proposed summit meeting between Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy.
The Istanbul discussions focused primarily on prisoner exchanges, which continued despite fighting, yet on critical issues like ending hostilities or political settlement, the distance between the sides remained vast.
Following the talks, hostilities escalated. Russia launched a heavy barrage including over 100 armed drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, causing civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries to vulnerable populations like children.
Ukraine responded with cross-border strikes into Russian border regions, leading to casualties, including civilian deaths inside Russia’s Krasnodar region near Sochi.
This sustained violence illustrates that the momentary diplomatic engagement has not deterred military escalation, and Russia’s buffer zone push continues alongside ongoing combat operations.
Prisoner Swaps and Humanitarian Exchanges Continue Despite Conflict
Even amid continuing violence, diplomatic channels facilitate limited humanitarian progress. The July prisoner exchange—the ninth phase agreed upon in Istanbul—involved over 1,000 Ukrainians being released from Russian captivity, a significant milestone that brought relief to families and was warmly acknowledged by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
These exchanges demonstrate that while political and military stalemate persists, both sides maintain some dialogue on humanitarian matters, which may be the only feasible arena for cooperation when broader peace negotiations flounder.
Buffer Zones as Leverage in Ongoing Diplomatic Deadlock
The creation and solidification of buffer zones serve multiple strategic and political objectives for Moscow. Beyond immediate security aims, these zones represent a territorial bargaining chip in any future peace talks.
By asserting control over portions of northern Ukraine adjacent to the border, Russia enhances its negotiating position by creating “facts on the ground” — effectively redrawing the conflict lines and complicating any return to pre-2022 borders that Ukraine demands.
However, Ukrainian leadership rejects the buffer zone concept outright, considering it a violation of sovereignty and a tactical means to extend Russian occupation.
This entrenched deadlock over territorial control is a core obstacle to ceasefire negotiations and highlights the widening gulf in objectives between Kyiv and Moscow.
Protecting Russian Territory from Ukrainian Attacks
The buffer zones underscore Russia’s perception of the war’s front being brought onto its own soil. Frequent Ukrainian drone strikes and artillery shelling in border oblasts have inflicted casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure, heightening political pressure on Moscow to respond decisively.
By pushing Ukrainian forces deeper into Ukraine, Russia aims to reduce the range of cross-border attacks, thereby improving security for Russian civilians and military installations near the frontier.
This defensive rationale aligns with broader Russian framing of the conflict as one of protecting homeland security, although Western analysts emphasize this represents aggressive territorial expansion under the guise of defense.
Russia’s nascent buffer zone policy highlights the protracted character of the Ukraine conflict, now into its fourth year with no end in sight.
The failure of peace talks, continued hostilities, and prisoner swaps alongside the aggressive territorial strategy reflect a war entrenched in military stalemate and diplomatic impasse.
For Kyiv and its Western allies, the buffer zones threaten the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, complicating efforts for a negotiated peace.
For Moscow, they provide security depth and leverage but also entrench the risk of prolonged conflict and international isolation.
The coming months will be crucial, as diplomatic channels struggle to reconcile zero-sum territorial ambitions with urgent humanitarian and geopolitical imperatives.
