Russia has called on its troops to create a "buffer zone" up to 15 kilometers deep in Kharkiv Region in order to push Ukrainian MLRS and artillery away from the border with Belgorod Region.
This is stated in an analytical report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts recall, that Dmitry Peskov said on January 9 that Russian troops would do everything possible to prevent Ukraine from shelling Belgorod Region. Russian sources, taking advantage of Peskov's comment, called on Russian troops to create a "buffer zone" up to 15 kilometers deep in Kharkiv Region to push Ukrainian MLRS and artillery away from the border with Belgorod Region.
Russian ultranationalists have regularly called for a similar operation in summer 2023 amid widespread dissatisfaction with cross-border raids by pro-Ukrainian forces to Belgorod Region.
ISW believes that Russian invasion to 15 kilometers deep and several hundred kilometers wide would be a large-scale operation that would require a force grouping, much larger and much better resourced than the troops concentrated along the entire border with Ukraine, least of all in Belgorod Region.
Analysts are convinced that Russian military is only capable to conduct tactical actions in Kharkiv Region. And they will serve to distract Ukrainian forces from possible Russian operational efforts in Kupyansk direction.
We shall remind you that Washington is looking for a way to provide Ukraine with modern high-tech equipment for advantage on the battlefield.