Putin: Russian troops not going to take control of Kharkiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian troops do not plan to take control of Kharkiv.

Answering questions from journalists, the head of state said that it was the Kyiv authorities and their Western sponsors that were to blame for today's events in Ukraine.

"All of today's authorities in Kyiv originate from the coup. By allowing the coup and facilitating it, Western sponsors created conditions for the smoldering conflict to be turned into an armed one. They are to blame for this, and they are trying to shift the blame,” Putin said adding that the West was blaming Russia for what was happening in Ukraine.

Putin also stated that the Ukrainian authorities were to blame for what was happening in the Kharkiv direction of hostilities. Having noted that the Ukrainian side continues shelling residential sections of border areas, including Belgorod, Putin said:

"I've said publicly before that if this continues, we will be forced to create a security zone, a sanitary zone,” he said.

Putin first spoke about the need to build a sanitary zone with Ukraine in June 2023, during a meeting with military officers. The zone would be created if Ukraine continues striking Russian border territories, he noted.

Putin later clarified that the demilitarised zone in Ukraine should be created at a distance that would ensure the safety of peaceful cities from shelling. It goes about long-range weapons, primarily foreign-made ones, which Kyiv uses to shell peaceful Russian settlements.