Russian “buffer zones”: Expert assesses risks for Ukraine

Even Russian Z-bloggers and propagandists are questioning the feasibility of the so-called "buffer zones" the aggressor state intends to carve out of Ukrainian territory. Ultimately, Russia lacks the manpower and resources to pull it off.

Military observer Denys Popovych stated this in a comment to Ukrainian Radio.

The expert reminded that the Kremlin defines a "buffer zone" as a strip of Ukrainian territory of a certain width, which the Russians plan to seize under the pretext of preventing Ukrainian strikes. The enemy’s plans include creating such zones in the north — in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions.

"A width of about 20 km is being mentioned... In reality, this is the occupation of border areas," Popovych explained.

At the same time, the expert says that Z-bloggers and propagandists have recently been doubting the sanity of these objectives.

"A huge number of lives are being sacrificed for these "buffer zones," especially in the north, yet these zones can be completely covered by drone fire. Today, drones reach much further than 20 km—some up to 50 km. That’s why there are massive doubts within this "Z-crowd" as to whether Russians even need these "buffer zones" at all," he noted.

Denys Popovych dismissed the possibility of a "buffer zone" being established by the Russian forces based in Transnistria, the separatist region of Moldova.

He stressed that this force is minuscule and helpless, and Russia currently has no way to deploy troops there to launch an offensive for a "buffer zone" in the Vinnytsia region.

"The enemy has plenty of plans—regarding Transnistria, Kharkiv, Sumy, Odesa, and perhaps even Kyiv. But between the plans and their execution lies a massive chasm that the Russian Federation, in its current state, is unable to cross," the expert concluded.