In a significant escalation that threatens to derail fragile peace negotiations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of the war in Ukraine into 2026. The directive, announced by Moscow's top military commander, represents a direct challenge to diplomatic efforts led by US President Donald Trump.
Moscow's Land Grab Under the Guise of Security
The Kremlin's latest strategy focuses on widening a so-called 'buffer zone' along the border within Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Russian authorities have long claimed the zone is necessary to protect Russian civilians from cross-border raids.
However, this justification is widely viewed as a pretext for further territorial conquest. A peace framework developed by Kyiv and Washington explicitly demands that Russia withdraw from these border areas to facilitate Ukraine's reconstruction.
Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, stated that troops from the 'North' grouping are advancing confidently. According to reports from the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency, Gerasimov boasted that over 700 square kilometres (270 square miles) of Ukrainian territory was seized in December alone, marking the highest offensive tempo to date.
A Dubious Drone Attack and Diplomatic Sabotage
The vow to continue the invasion follows a contentious claim from the Kremlin. Russia alleges that Ukraine launched a drone strike targeting one of President Putin's secretive residences south of St Petersburg on Sunday night. Moscow framed the alleged attack as an attempt to sabotage Trump's peace initiative, coming just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Recounting a call with Putin, Trump expressed his anger, stating, 'It's one thing to be offensive because they're offensive. It's another thing to attack his house... It's not the right time to do any of that.'
President Zelensky swiftly dismissed the allegation as 'typical Russian lies' designed to undermine diplomacy. In a post on X, he asserted, 'Ukraine does not take steps that can undermine diplomacy. To the contrary, Russia always takes such steps.' Ukrainian officials countered by pointing to Russia's repeated bombardment of government buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Analysts Warn of Broader War Aims
Independent analysis casts serious doubt on the alleged drone attack. No evidence of drone activity was recorded at the cited time, and locals reported hearing no explosions or receiving any warnings, despite claims of 100 drones being involved.
Experts warn the unverified claim is likely a Kremlin pretext to justify prolonging the war and seizing more land. Analyst Georgi Bovt suggested on Telegram that Russian ambitions may now extend beyond the Donbas. He indicated potential goals could include the full occupation of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which are currently only partly under Russian control.
This move by Putin, set for 2026, signals a clear intent to continue hostilities regardless of international peace efforts, posing a severe test for the Trump administration's diplomatic strategy and deepening the crisis for Ukraine.
