Kiev Accuses Moscow of Launching New Offensive to Create Buffer Zone

Firefighters work at a site of a Russian missile strike in Kyiv [Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine via AFP]  

Kiev on Wednesday accused Moscow of launching an offensive into northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions several days ago where it plans to create a buffer zone.

Ukraine’s commander in chief General Oleksandr Syrsky said in an interview with the LB.ua media outlet that, “For several days now, nearly a week, we’ve been seeing almost a doubling of the number of enemy offensive actions in all major areas.”

President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly proposed establishing a so-called “buffer zone” in the Sumy region.

According to Syrsky, Ukraine must mobilize 30,000 soldiers every month, a figure previously named by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“This is, indeed, the figure that we must abide with,” Syrsky said.

He added that despite its ongoing defeats, Russia has increased its force in Ukraine. “Every month, they increase it by 8,000-9,000; in a year, it's 120,000-130,000,” the Ukrainian General said.

Russia and Ukraine launched fresh drone attacks on each other overnight, resulting in injuries and damage across multiple regions, according to officials on both sides.

Ukrainian authorities reported strikes in several areas. In the city of Dnipro, 15 people were injured and 15 private homes, along with several multi-storey residential and commercial buildings, were damaged, said regional Governor Serhiy Lysak.

In the eastern Donetsk region, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported five people injured by Russian attacks in various communities.

In the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, two people were wounded following what local prosecutors described as a large-scale drone attack. Fires broke out and damage was reported to shops and residential buildings.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force said on Telegram that it shot down 32 out of 55 drones launched by Russia overnight, and that another eight did not reach their targets, most likely because of electronic countermeasures.

“Eight enemy drone imitators have been lost (without negative consequences). Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions suffered as a result of the Russian attack,” the Telegram message said.

Russia’s military Wednesday said that its air defense systems destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones across 13 regions and the Black Sea overnight.

In a separate development, Zelensky said his forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine.

Asked about the claims in a daily press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment.

Writing on X on Tuesday, where he posted a video of one of the alleged men, Zelenskiy said Kyiv had “information suggesting that there are many more Chinese citizens” fighting. He did not say whether Ukraine believed the men were acting on Beijing's orders.

China's Foreign Ministry objected to Zelenskiy's remarks that more Chinese citizens were at the frontline alongside Russians, calling them “groundless.”

“Ukraine should correctly view China's efforts and constructive role in seeking a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

China was verifying the situation with Ukraine, he said, adding that its government had always required its citizens to avoid areas of armed conflict and “especially to avoid participating in the military operations of any party.”

The case was the first publicly announced instance of Chinese nationals captured fighting for Russia in Ukraine since the conflict started three years ago.