Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia has no plans to capture the city of Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, while expressing his intention to establish a buffer zone in the area. Putin criticized Ukraine for targeting Russian border regions and emphasized the need to protect residential neighborhoods.

During a video posted on the Kremlin website, Putin affirmed that the ongoing shelling and targeting of border areas, including Belgorod, by Ukrainian forces had compelled Russia to consider creating a safe zone. However, he clarified that capturing Kharkiv was not part of their current plans.

The Kharkiv region had witnessed a Russian assault during the initial stages of the Kremlin's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Nevertheless, Ukrainian forces successfully expelled the Russians during a swift counteroffensive conducted later that year.

Speaking during his visit to China, Putin's remarks come in the wake of a large-scale drone attack launched by Ukraine on Russian territory, including the occupied Crimean peninsula. The attack resulted in the destruction of an oil refinery and claimed the lives of two individuals, as reported by Russian officials.

According to Russia's Defense Ministry, Ukrainian drones were intercepted and shot down, with 51 drones downed over Crimea, 44 over the Krasnodar region, and six over Belgorod. In the Krasnodar region's Tuapse area, the drone attack caused a fire at an oil refinery, though authorities swiftly extinguished the flames.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, shared on Telegram that a kamikaze drone had tragically killed a mother and a young child in a car.

Despite Putin's assurance that Kharkiv is not a target for capture, Ukrainians remain concerned given Russia's history of making contradictory statements about its intentions in Ukraine. The situation continues to evolve, with tensions escalating between the two neighboring nations.