Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of President Vladimir Putin and the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, discussed the possibility of establishing a "sanitary zone" either along the border with Poland or within its territory.
In a recent incident, Ukraine targeted fuel depots, oil facilities, and a power station in southwestern Russia and Crimea, which has been under Moscow's control since 2014. The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday, through Telegram, that over 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted by Moscow on Thursday night. Before this, Ukraine launched missile strikes that hit an airfield in Crimea. These drone attacks occurred following the advancement of Russian forces into northeastern Ukraine last week.
In a recent Telegram post translated into English, Medvedev, a former Russian president, and prime minister, expressed that President Putin has previously emphasized the need for a peaceful existence by establishing a protected area where the neo-Nazi regime cannot pose a threat to Russia's territories, including those that have been reclaimed by our nation.
When Putin initiated his full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he justified it by stating that it was aimed at "denazifying" the country. However, Ukraine, the U.S., and numerous regional experts have refuted Russia's assertion that the war-torn nation, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky who is Jewish, is infiltrated by Nazis.
Medvedev warned, "If this situation persists, the designated safe zone will be located either along the border with Poland or within Poland itself."
Newsweek attempted to contact the Russian government through an online form and the Polish Foreign Affairs Ministry via email for their input.
Putin declared on Friday that Moscow's objective in northeastern Ukraine is to establish a buffer zone to safeguard Russian citizens from assaults.
Regarding the events unfolding in the Kharkiv region, Putin blamed Ukraine, stating, "This is [Ukraine's] responsibility because they have been shelling and unfortunately continue to shell residential areas in border regions, including Belgorod." Putin made these remarks while speaking to reporters during a state visit to China.
Civilians are perishing in that location. It is evident. They are aiming directly at the city center, at residential zones. I have publicly stated that if this situation persists, we will have no choice but to establish a security zone, a buffer zone. This is the course of action we are taking.
If Russia were to invade Poland, a NATO member, it would potentially lead to conflict with all 32 member states under Article 5 of the treaty. Nevertheless, Putin mentioned in December 2023 that Moscow has "no intention" of engaging in a conflict with NATO.
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