Putin: Russia has no plans today to seize Kharkiv

Russia has no plans today to seize Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, News.Az reports citing TASS.

"As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans today," the Russian leader said, replying to a corresponding question.

The current Kyiv regime is to blame for ongoing battles in the Kharkiv direction, Putin stressed.

"Now about what is happening in the Kharkiv direction. They [the Ukrainian authorities] are also to blame for that because they shelled and continue shelling, unfortunately, residential areas of borderline territories, including Belgorod. Civilians are being killed there. It is all obvious. They are bombarding directly the center of the city and residential quarters. I have said publicly that if this continues, we’ll have to create a security, buffer zone. This is what we are doing," the head of state said.

News.Az