Ukraine says Russia expands military aims to Vinnytsia region via Transnistria

Ukraine's Presidential Office reports that Russia has added a buffer zone in Vinnytsia Oblast to its military plans, marking the first time this region has been targeted from the direction of Transnistria.

Russia has expanded its strategic goals to include the creation of a buffer zone in Vinnytsia Oblast, according to Pavlo Palisa, the Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office. In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Palisa revealed that this is the first time such an item has appeared in Russian military planning, with the intended entry point being the unrecognized breakaway region of Transnistria. While Vinnytsia lies in west-central Ukraine and does not border Russia, it shares a significant border with Moldova, including a stretch along the Russian-controlled Transnistrian territory. This move follows a pattern of Moscow using buffer zone rhetoric to justify offensive pushes, a tactic previously seen in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv, News.Az reports, citing EuroMaidan.

The current military focus for Russia in 2026 remains centered on the Donbas. However, Ukrainian officials indicate that under favorable conditions, Russian forces intend to increase pressure on the southern front, specifically across the Oleksandrivsk and Zaporizhzhia directions.

The broader list of long-term Russian targets continues to include the seizure of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, with ambitions eventually stretching toward Mykolaiv and Odesa. Despite these extensive geographical goals, Palisa noted that the deadlines for these plans are constantly shifting as the conflict evolves.

Regarding the specific threat to Vinnytsia from Transnistria, the disclosure comes at a time when Moldova has been drafting plans to reintegrate the breakaway region, which has seen its industrial output collapse and gas supplies cut. Palisa emphasized that while these intentions are documented in Russian planning, Moscow currently lacks the necessary forces to implement such a sweeping list of ambitions. He urged against panic, pointing out that Russia has already sustained massive troop losses while capturing a very small percentage of Ukrainian territory, suggesting a significant gap between the Kremlin's strategic desires and its actual military capabilities.

News.Az