Russia's Gerasimov says Putin ordered buffer zone expansion in Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv in 2026

Dec 31 (Reuters) - ‌Russian Chief of the ‌General Staff Valery Gerasimov ‌said Russian forces were advancing into Ukrainian defences and that ‍President Vladimir Putin ‍ordered expansion ‌of a buffer zone in ‍Ukraine's Sumy ​and Kharkiv in 2026, Russian ⁠news agencies reported on Wednesday. Read full story