The Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Brigadier General Pavlo Palisa, has revealed Russia’s intentions to establish a buffer zone in the Vinnytsia region, adjacent to the unrecognized territory of Transnistria. This statement was made during an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Palisa noted that this is the first time such plans have been documented, emphasizing that there is no cause for alarm at this moment. He stated, “I do not see the forces necessary for them to carry out all these intentions right now.”
According to Palisa, Russian forces are also considering the creation of buffer zones in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions, as well as conditions that could facilitate attempts to seize Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
In the long term, he indicated that Russia still harbors aggressive ambitions to capture the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions.
Previously, Russia had expressed intentions to create buffer zones in Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, but there had been no official statements regarding Vinnytsia.
Transnistria is a breakaway region of Moldova that has been outside of Chisinau’s control since 1992, with Russia maintaining approximately 1,700 troops there for over two decades.
Brigadier General Pavlo Palisa of Ukraine's Presidential Office has disclosed Russia's plans to create a buffer zone in Vinnytsia, marking a significant development. He reassured that current Russian military capabilities do not support these ambitions, while also highlighting ongoing threats in other regions.
Source: RBC-Ukraine