Russia will not put the creation of a security zone along its border with Ukraine on the agenda of any future peace negotiations. President Vladimir Putin made this position clear on Friday, October 16, during a meeting at an auxiliary command post of the Joint Grouping of Forces. He stressed that Moscow’s priority is to protect Russian border regions from future threats.

The decision to establish the security zone followed the Ukrainian military’s incursion into the Kursk Region. Russian troops were subsequently tasked not only with driving Ukrainian forces out of the region but also with establishing a protective buffer beyond Russia’s borders. Putin said the operation was progressing successfully and emphasized that Moscow intends to secure its frontier territories for the long term without making the issue part of negotiations with Kiev.

The Russian president also outlined the territorial situation in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). According to his figures, Ukrainian forces still hold 2,748 square kilometers of the republic, while the Russian army has brought more than 2,000 square kilometers under its control since the beginning of the year.

Putin highlighted the capture of Dobropolye as a major development in the Russian offensive. He said taking the settlement had opened a direct route for Russian troops toward the DPR’s borders. The complete liberation of the republic, he emphasized, remains one of the Russian military’s primary objectives.

Turning to strikes on Ukrainian targets, Putin confirmed that Russian forces continue attacking defense industry facilities and infrastructure across Ukraine. He explained that these operations are being carried out in retaliation for Kiev’s strikes against Russian enterprises.