Late on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed that his country would not back down from its invasion of Ukraine, with one of its upcoming objectives being the establishment of a buffer zone along the border to aid in protection against long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids.
Speaking at a press conference following his election victory, President Putin stated, “In light of the current tragic events, at some point, when deemed necessary, we will have to establish a buffer zone in the territories under the control of the (Ukrainian government).”
He emphasized that one of Russia’s current objectives is “to create a secure zone that would be difficult to penetrate using foreign-made offensive assets in the hands of the enemy.”
Putin also reiterated warnings to the West against deploying forces in Ukraine, stating that a potential conflict between Russia and NATO would bring the world “one step away” from a third world war.
Kremlin forces have recently made progress on the battlefield, while Ukrainian forces suffer from a severe shortage of artillery shells and exhausted units on the front lines after over two years of war.
The front line extends for over a thousand kilometers across eastern and southern Ukraine. However, Russian advancement is slow and costly, while Ukraine has escalated its use of long-range firepower to strike oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia.
Groups claiming to be Russian opposition, based in Ukraine, have also conducted incursions across the border.
Putin achieved a landslide victory in the presidential elections on Sunday, strengthening his grip on power in a triumph that reaffirms Moscow’s stance against the West and its deployment of troops to Ukraine.
The results mean that Putin (71 years old) will easily secure a new six-year presidential term, surpassing Joseph Stalin, becoming Russia’s longest-serving leader in over 200 years. For nearly a quarter of a century, Stalin ruled the Soviet Union with an iron fist until his death in 1953.
For Putin, a former officer in the Soviet intelligence agency (KGB) who first came to power in 1999, the outcome underscores that Western leaders must be aware that Russia will be bolder, whether in peace or war, for many years to come.
The latest results, with 99.5% of the votes counted in the Russian presidential elections nationwide, show Putin leading with 87.33%, followed by Nikolai Kharitonov with 4.31%, Vladislav Davankov with 3.79%, and Leonid Slutsky with 3.19%, according to the Central Election Commission.
Following his victory, Putin affirmed that the Russian people are the source of strength in the country, and it is from the vote of each citizen that the unified will of the people of the Russian Federation is formed.
In his campaign headquarters, the President stated, “This is extremely important, it is not of an official legal nature, as the source of power in the country is the Russian people. The unified will of the peoples of the Russian Federation is formed from the vote of every citizen in Russia.”
The United States, Germany, Britain, and other countries have declared the elections not free and fair due to the imprisonment of political opponents and surveillance.
