Putin mulls establishment of ‘sanitary zone’ in Ukraine

Moscow [Russia], March 18 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his remarks at his campaign headquarters, suggested the possibility of establishing a “sanitary zone” in neighbouring territories in response to the attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on the Belgorod region, TASS reported.

“I’m not ready to talk now about what, how and when we should annex. But I do not rule out that, bearing in mind the tragic events taking place today, we will be forced at some point – when we consider it appropriate – to create a certain “sanitary zone” in today’s territories subordinate to the Kiev regime,” Putin said, commenting on proposals to annex the Kharkov region to prevent Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border.

“To create a security zone, which will be quite difficult to overcome using the weapons that the enemy uses, primarily, of course, foreign-made,” the head of state stated, however, he refrained from specifying what the depth of the “sanitary zone” might be, according to TASS.

“This is a separate issue,” he said in response to a corresponding request.

Russia’s recent presidential election, spanning from March 15 to 17, marked a key moment in the nation’s political landscape. With a record-breaking turnout of over 74 per cent of eligible voters, this engagement soared to heights unseen in over two decades, as confirmed by the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) on Sunday.

Putin’s remarks at his campaign headquarters underscored the gravity of the situation, as he contemplated the necessity of such a security measure in response to the challenges posed by the Kyiv regime.

The president’s comments come amidst reports of military build-up and clashes along the border, with Kiev amassing significant troop deployments while facing losses during confrontations, including casualties among so-called volunteer forces.

Putin, however, adopted a pragmatic stance, acknowledging that these losses could inadvertently favour Russia’s strategic objectives by diminishing enemy capabilities in other theaters of conflict.

The Russian President highlighted that the heavy losses sustained during cross-border attacks play in the hands of Russia, saying, “Well, if they want to have it that way, we have nothing against it <…>. This plays in our hands to a certain extent. Let them have a good try. It means that there will be less personnel taking part in hostilities in other areas.”

Due to ongoing cross-border attacks in the Belgorod Region, he hinted Russia may be forced to create “a buffer zone of some sort,” which will be “fairly hard to cross.” However, its possible width is unknown and “it is a separate question.”

The Russian military is advancing day by day, and its strategy currently implies “something more than just active defence,” Putin noted, adding, “Progress is made every day. They are moving gradually and cautiously, but they advance every day.”

“In general, the Russian armed forces have taken the initiative completely. At some areas, our troops are literally shredding the enemy into pieces,” he also said, TASS reported.