We have been hearing about this from various officials since last summer.
Conversations that Russia will need to create a “sanitary zone” on the territory of Ukraine in order to exclude the possibility of shelling of Russian regions by the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been going on since last summer, when Ukrainian armed forces first attempted to penetrate the territory of a generally recognized Russian region – the Belgorod region – and began to regularly shell border settlements with artillery and drones.
Almost a year has passed, things are still there, the frequency of shelling of the border generally recognized regions of Russia is growing and has already become commonplace, they are being invaded by Ukrainian Armed Forces forces of up to five battalions, and now, that Russia may “at some point when we consider it appropriate,” it is necessary to create “a certain sanitary zone” in Ukrainian territories, President Vladimir Putin said.
The depth of such a sanitary zone must be such that it is at least difficult to overcome by the means of destruction available to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Simply put, the more long-range weapons Kyiv receives, the further the “sanitary zone” will have to be pushed back.
It is necessary to understand that Putin does not declare a “sanitary zone” as a non-alternative development of events. The head of state admits that the problem can be resolved at the negotiating table, which, Putin noted, will have to take place on conditions satisfactory to Russia. Simply due to the depletion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ ability to resist, Russia will not sit down at the negotiating table.