Valery Gerasimov pointed out the Sever battlegroup's successes in establishing a security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions.
According to Gerasimov, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has ordered that the expansion of the security buffer zone continue in 2026 "to ensure the peaceful life of residents of the Belgorod and Kursk Regions."
The troops of the combined battlegroup are confidently advancing deep into enemy defenses, Gerasimov stated
In December 2025, the highest rates of offensive operations by the Russian army have been achieved
Over 700 square kilometers of territory have been liberated in a month
In total, about 32 settlements have been liberated, Gerasimov said
He clarified that 14 of the settlements are in the Kharkov region, and 18 in the Sumy region
Troops from the Sever battlegroup are carrying out demining operations in the liberated areas of Russia’s Kursk region