On December 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a conference on the situation in the special military operation zone that the Russian military needs to continue expanding the Russian-Ukrainian border security buffer zone in 2026. Putin ordered the Russian army to completely eliminate enemy forces interfering with Russia's actions in the direction of Kupyansk. Putin said that Russian military operations in the Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions are being carried out in stages, the Ukrainian army is constantly retreating, and the Russian army is expected to fully control the Donbas region.

On December 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a conference on the situation in the special military operation zone that the Russian military needs to continue expanding the Russian-Ukrainian border security buffer zone in 2026. Putin ordered the Russian army to completely eliminate enemy forces interfering with Russia's actions in the direction of Kupyansk. Putin said that Russian military operations in the Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions are being carried out in stages, the Ukrainian army is constantly retreating, and the Russian army is expected to fully control the Donbas region.