During his two-day visit to China, President Vladimir Putin addressed reporters at the Harbin Institute of Technology, discussing Russia’s operations in the Kharkov Region. He stated that Moscow's actions on the battlefield are progressing successfully and according to plan.
When questioned about Russia's objectives, Putin blamed Ukraine for the ongoing conflict in the area, accusing it of shelling residential blocks in border regions, including Belgorod. He emphasized that civilians are being killed, asserting that Ukrainian forces are targeting city centers directly. Putin reiterated his earlier warning to Kiev that Russia would establish a “cordon sanitaire” if the attacks persisted.
“This is what we are doing. As for [the capture of] Kharkov, there are no such plans for today,” he clarified.
Russian forces initiated an offensive in the Kharkov Region last week, pushing Ukrainian troops back and capturing several border settlements. In response, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky canceled his upcoming foreign trips and traveled to Kharkov, Ukraine's second-largest city. In an interview with ABC News, Zelensky described the situation as "very serious," emphasizing that Ukraine "cannot afford to lose" the city. Kiev also announced the redeployment of reserves to this front.
Similarly, US Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel described the situation as "incredibly dire." Reports indicated that Russia’s advance in the Kharkov Region was facilitated by Ukraine's lack of proper defenses.
Putin had first mentioned a “cordon sanitaire” in March, following deadly attacks on Belgorod that resulted in civilian casualties. Russian border regions have also been targeted by incursions from the Russian Volunteer Corps and Russian Freedom Legion, groups composed of Russian defectors and fugitive neo-Nazis, both designated as terrorist organizations by Moscow.
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