Instead, Moscow's objective is to establish a buffer zone in the Kharkiv region, as Putin emphasized during a press conference in China, where the Russian leader is on a visit.
"As far as Kharkiv is concerned, there are no such plans today," Putin stated, according to the RIA news agency. He added that the operation in the Kharkiv region is proceeding as planned and that the Russian army is making significant progress.
Western experts have analyzed Putin's remarks, noting that the Russian army's actions, including the shelling of river crossings, indicate that there is no immediate intention to directly threaten Ukraine's second-largest city. However, the situation in northern Ukraine remains highly tense.
Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian army, reported that the enemy has expanded the zone of "active hostilities" by 70 kilometers.
"The enemy launched an offensive much earlier than planned when they noticed the shift of our troops, but failed to break through our defenses. However, we understand that heavy fighting awaits us and the enemy is preparing for it," Syrsky warned.
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Source: IAR, PAP