Tehran: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russian forces have established a security zone extending up to 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) along the Ukrainian border, citing ongoing attacks from Ukraine's Sumy region as the reason for this measure.

According to Anadolu Agency, Putin made these remarks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. He alleged that Ukrainian forces had breached the Russian Kursk region and committed offenses against civilians. In response, Russian troops reportedly inflicted significant losses on the Ukrainian forces and expelled them, leading Moscow to reinforce the border area.

Putin emphasized the necessity of creating a security zone along the state border due to continuous attacks involving artillery and drones from Ukrainian territory. The security zone ranges from 8 to 12 kilometers (5 to 7.5 miles) in depth, with Sumy being the next significant city beyond this zone.

While asserting that capturing Sumy is not an immediate objective for Russia, Putin did not dismiss the possibility, attributing the escalation to what he described as Ukraine's reckless actions. The Ukrainian government has not yet issued a response to these statements.

As the conflict enters its fourth year, Russia's military activities have intensified in northeastern Ukraine, particularly near Kharkiv. Kremlin authorities continue to justify these actions as defensive maneuvers in response to Ukrainian attacks.