Russian troops have driven Ukrainian forces back nearly 30 kilometers from the border of Belgorod Region in the Volchansk sector of Kharkov Region. Military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS that Russian advances have established the largest buffer zone along this stretch of the border.

The area includes the settlements of Nefedovka and Chernoye, where Ukrainian positions have been pushed significantly farther from Russian territory. Marochko expects the offensive to continue, allowing Russian forces to extend the buffer zone even deeper.

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on October 15 that its troops had taken control of both villages. Military correspondent Alexander Kots said their capture dealt a serious blow to Ukrainian commanders' plans to break through to their encircled units.

According to Kots, Nefedovka and Chernoye had been the only vulnerable section of the outer encirclement line. Ukrainian forces intended to exploit this opening by withdrawing trapped troops while simultaneously launching an attack from outside the encirclement to link up with them. With both settlements now under Russian control, neither maneuver remains possible, the correspondent explained.