President Putin decides to create buffer zone along the border with Ukraine

According to TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to create a security buffer zone along the border between Russia and Ukraine, during an operational meeting with government members.

According to the Russian leader, this task is being carried out by the Russian armed forces.

Mr. Putin noted that, given the situation in the border regions, it is necessary to restore and rebuild everything that has been destroyed, and if security is taken into account, it is necessary to help people return to their homeland. In addition, it is important to restore infrastructure, support small businesses and the activities of industrial and agricultural enterprises.

President Putin said that the people of the Kursk region witnessed “open terrorist acts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries”.

“We discussed the issues that concern the people the most – residents of villages and towns who have been subjected to shelling and military action, and frankly speaking, the terrorist methods that Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries have been using,” Putin said.

According to the Russian leader, the enemy chose targets for artillery fire in the border area that were "non-military in significance: civilian objects, houses, people".

People in border regions now need more support: "People in both the Kursk region and our other border regions near the line of combat contact now need more support. These are the Belgorod and Bryansk regions."

President Putin called for a comprehensive program to restore the affected border areas “in the shortest possible time”. The program must be provided with the necessary financial and material resources. Therefore, additional equipment and specialists, including those from other regions, will be involved.

The Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Health, the ministries of transport, energy, digital development and communications, education and other ministries have been instructed to participate in the development and implementation of such a program.

“At the same time, I ask you to constantly communicate with volunteer organizations and the public. Relying on the feedback mechanism with residents of the designated areas, respond promptly to their requests and problems,” President Putin said.